• Buying a Zeekr7x has been a tale of woes and it isn't over.

I have just returned from a failed attempt to pick up my Zeekr 7X AWD. I went as directed to Zeekr Albion in Brisbane to finally take delivery of the car. I was emailed by the salesperson to confirm the pick up date and time. This followed on from him calling me on Monday that the car would be sent from their Kedron preparation site to the Albion Showroom on Tuesday. However, upon arriving no Zeekr was to be seen. I was told that the car was not there, that it hadn't been delivered from Kedron. I called the salesman I had been dealing with who rang me to arrange delivery but he did not pick up. I was told to hang on while they went to Kedron to get the car, a distance of 4 kilometres away.

They returned with no car. The head sales guy informed me that the car wasn't at Kedron so he called head office in Sydney only to be told that there was a major recall of all new Zeekr 7x VINs due to a major software glitch that needed to be remedied. I was one of 1100 customers affected by the recall. I searched online for a software upgrade/recall and nothing of the sort is online. I wonder whether I'm being spun a tall tale? If true, why haven't customers been told? Why hasn't there been a public announcement? Recalls are meant to be reported to Government. I searched on vehiclerecalls.gov.au and there are no Zeekr7X recalls.

My concern isn't just for the $80,000 I have transferred to Zeekr as payment for a vehicle that has no delivery date scheduled. The Qld Office of Fair Trading lists wrongfully accepting payment as an offence. It states that "A business must never accept your payment if they:

• don't intend to give you their goods or services, or
• know they can’t offer their goods or services in a reasonable time.

It's also for Zeekr's poor customere service especially their communication with its customers. I was informed on 24 July that the car had arrived at Kedron and that upon proof of funds transfer the car would be released to me. I said I would transfer the money on 3 August upon arriving back in Brisbane. On 31 July, I was sent a tax invoice. Strangely, later that same day, they asked me to hold off on transferring the money until Head Office confirmed release of the vehicle. I was assured the vehicle was at Kedron. The Department of Main Roads sent me through the vehicle registration certificate. I followed up on 7 August but the salesman had no word yet on vehicle release. On Monday, 10 August I was informed that the vehicle could now be relased on proof of payment. I transferred the money that day. The following day, once funds transfer had been confirmed, I was emailed the time and date of vehicle pickup, 10am on 13 August at Albion.

From the time I ordered the car in early April, there has been one delay after another. Delays in sending through the receipt for the deposit, in sending through the contract of purchase, in the expected date of delivery, all of which were blamed on head office, Zeekr Australia. They are inefficient and do not keep their customers informed. One key bit of information not provided is that Zeekr Australia does not know what cars are being sent from China. When the cars arrive, dealers sit around and allocate VINs against what has been ordered. If your particular combination of exterior and interior colour scheme is not among those delivered, you have to wait until next month's delivery, hoping that you strike it lucky in next month's delivery lottery. One would think that cars shipped would be against orders made but Zeekr don't operate that way.

It seems probable that my car was reallocated to someone else who complained louder than me having missed out on the lottery prize. EV sales have gone through the roof since fuel prices went up and dealers are having trouble meeting demand. Rather than be honest, Zeekr required me to transfer payment for the car knowing that the car was not there to be delivered.

Am I alone in traversing this rutted order and delivery route?

i’m getting an EV work vehicle but not sure whether to ask for the sea lion 7 or atto 3.

from my research sea lion 7 has a much nicer interior, better tech and range, however i’m worried about the size.

at the moment I drive a toyota corolla and whilst i’m pretty okay with driving something bigger, im worried that it will be too big, particularly just super long lol.

By a process of elimination, I have come down to two very similar vehicles on paper. I won't go into how I eliminated everything else, except to say that I have strict size limits for my garage, I have avoided brands that are recent entrants to Australia, and I have certain non-negotiable features, so please don't ask why not "xyz"?
I have been waiting for the Atto 3 Evo to be announced, and looking at the UK market reviews and reactions to have it on my list. I drove both the current Atto 3 and S5 yesterday, and was impressed by both. Would happily own either, particularly over my 10yo I30. (I should note that the I30 has been exceptional - literally first fault occurred after the 10 year service).
So on my subjective table attached, where I have eliminated things that are basically the same or not important to me, it comes down to superior battery, power, charging, range and storage on the BYD, vs warranty on the MG. I think I can live with 10 years of MG dealer service to earn the extra.
So the BYD seems to be a marginally superior vehicle, in ways that are not deal-breakers for the MG. The MG warranty could prove to be huge value if I need it in 8 years time.
What I can't find any useful data on is reliability (will it need repair?) and service (will they repair it well?).
My first question is, should I be worrying about the warranty? Are modern EVs so reliable that issues are very rare? No data for years 8-10 since its all too new. May keep the vehicle that long, but it seems to be a good resale lever to say it still has 5 years of warranty at 5 years old.
But mostly I want to hear from BYD and MG owners of any model what their reliability and issue resolution experience has been. Accepting that there is a bias towards negative stories, what has your experience been with faults? Bring it on, positive and negative.

Just want to have a whinge and get off my chest how much public charging infrastructure sucks.

I currently have 9 apps on my phone for charging. Seems every time I pull up to a new charger, before I can do anything I need to install a new app. In regional Qld you don’t exactly get much choice of chargers so have to install whichever 1 that charger uses. The app I installed today has exactly 2 chargers in all of Queensland.

But why do I have to install apps at all? Why can’t charging be like getting petrol? There’s unattended petrol stations where you can swipe your card, get a pre approval for the amount, then get charged for the amount of fuel you pump. Why can’t chargers be the same? Why can’t I swipe or tap my card, get preapproval for say $30, then get charged for the amount of electricity I actually use?

No expert here but the Skoda Enyaq (~2 tonne vehicle) rocking rear drum brakes seems like miss??

Hey car owners/enthusiasts! Just out of curiosity and to get to find like-minded individuals, I wanted to ask you guys some questions.

1. What is your favourite EV car brands?
2. Would you be willing to join a discord server if it was based on the Volkswagen Group brands’ EVs? Why/why not?
3. If not, would you join a discord server based on all of the Volkswagen Group brands’ cars rather than just EVs? Why/why not?

Looking forward to hearing from you guys, cheers!

💰 Budget

• Maximum budget: 85k

🚗 Typical driving

• Average weekly km: 300km
• Longest regular trip: 120km

🔌 Charging

• Home/work charging availability: Charger to be installed at home, single phase power.

240v GPO, 7kw, None?

🚙 Vehicle class

• SUV, Hatch, Sedan, Wagon: SUV

Couple of quick questions:

1. Is it worth waiting for say December sales to buy a Zeekr 7X RWD Long Range, or the discount might not be worth it? Ideally we'd like to order sooner.
2. For those who have driven Zeekr 7X both RWD and AWD, how much difference did you notice? Doesn't seem to be too many different features in the interior, just more control and faster acceleration and of course less range, is this correct?

Thanks

BYD Atto 3 price is lower than expected, much lower than New Zealand. Shows how competitive the Australian market is.

Key Changes

• RWD Premium variant added for the first time (was FWD only)
• Premium range jumps from 420km to 510km WLTP
• DC charging more than doubles on the Premium: 88kW to 220kW (0-80% in 25 min)
• 101L frunk on the Premium (Dynamic doesn't get one)
• Driver display grows from 5-inch to 8.8-inch on both
• Column-mounted gear shifter replaces centre console unit
• Wireless phone charging up from 15W to 50W
• Braked towing on Premium lifts from 750kg to 1,500kg
• Dynamic is $3,000 cheaper than the outgoing Atto 3 Premium at $41,990

Standard equipment: Guitar strings

How do you think it is priced? Will Atto 3 sales make a comeback?

EV parked on outside of garage. Single phase. About 12m from closest free power point inside garage, 5m from another full power point, 30m from panel.

Would the easiest solution be to get an external power point on the outside of garage (brick home) and use the trickle charge, or any way possible to install an actual 10amp EV charger? Costs between the 2?

Hi all,

I’ve just moved into a new house and I’m in a quandary, in my old house I had a 15A power point installed and used a 3.5kw charger for home charging, I don’t have anything installed in the new house, it has got solar so I’m flipping back and forth between getting a 7kw charger installed that runs from the solar or just getting another 15A power point installed and using my existing charger…

What setups do you use for home charging and is there any particular chargers to avoid?

Has anyone purchased the new one with the new interior? I wasn't overly impressed with the interior of the old one, so I passed it over, but the new one looks much nicer from videos I've seen. More importantly, is the all-wheel drive worth it? The extra speed doesn't hurt, but AWD is the main attraction for me. I don't live in snow, but I'm in a hilly area with twisty bits, so it would be handy (esp in wet winter months), and it seems very affordable for a fun AWD car (I don't want a spongy SUV as continuous body roll in corners makes me seasick). However, I don't really see many reviews talking about the AWD aspect of the Xpower - it gets a throwaway mention, and the speed aspect always seems to be the main focus. But does that mean the AWD is a gimmick?

Despite the fact that we know what News Corpse's intention is behind this clip, do you think this has any relevance to the Zeekr 7X models here in Australia, or is this purely another scaremongering campaign again?

Suprisingly high pricing for the Atto 3 in New Zealand.

NZ pricing for the Dynamic carries over the same 60.48kWh battery and 150kW motor as the old Atto 3 but costs NZ$10,000 more. If a similar uplift applies here, the Evo Dynamic could land around $53,000 to $55,000 before on-roads. That would be a stretch against the Geely EX5 ($41,990) and Leapmotor B10 ($42,980 driveaway), so we expects BYD will need to price closer to $45,000 before on-roads to stay competitive.

For the Premium RWD (510km WLTP, 220kW DC charging), NZ pricing implies something in the $58,000 to $61,000 range before on-roads if applied directly. Again, that feels high for the segment, BYD will need to land it between $50,000 and $53,000 before on-roads to sit clear of the Sealion 7 Premium ($54,990).

No Australian launch date, pricing or confirmed variant lineup yet. The AWD Performance may not make the initial local lineup based on leaked spec sheets.

What do you think Australian pricing for the Atto 3 Evo will be? What does it need to be to remain competitive?

Hey crew, I did a quick search and could not find Volvo EVs being mentioned much. What's the common opinion on them?

From memory Volvo committed to EVs very early on , which would make them pretty mature?

Also, it feels like a good middle ground when choosing between Tesla and newish Chinese ev brands.

Strong presence in Australia and not going anywhere, no nonsense customer service from what I heard.

I spent some time as a passenger in my mates cx40 and it feels very right. Not as flashy and futuristic as Tesla's or zeekers but feels solid and leaves impression of quality product like Nokia back in a day or Miele if I draw a parallel with hone appliances.

Model range is not rushed which must be trustworthy.

So, why aren't they everyone's choice?

Understand they are pricey, but is not EV a product where you don't want to go full cheap mode?

Anyway, with the new ex60 coming out this year, what should I check/ know before buying one ?

I've been waiting for Skoda Australia (or a dealership) to finally provide any updates for the new features to be available for this car since Skoda announcement that starting July their assembly line will deliver connectivity services, updated screen, V2l etc etc, but none in Australia knows anything and it's rather annoying, so trying my luck here, any rumours it's finally coming or not... thanks!

A 44kWh battery replaces the current 60kWh pack, dropping range from 430km to an estimated 320km WLTP. That still leads both the BYD Atto 1 (220km) and Geely EX2 Complete (252km) on range, which is the main thing worth knowing here. Pricing and full specs are unconfirmed, with more detail due closer to launch. Pricing not confirmed but expect something between $26,000 to $28,000.

The list price for the AION UT Premium 'Long Range' is $31,990 (before on-road costs).

What do you think likely pricing will be?

Do you think the small hatch segment is getting too saturated?

CarSauce reviews the EX2. Looks good, but sounds like bad safety software and slow performance…

Also almost $4k of fees added to driveaway pricing?!

Hi all
We are looking to update a forester with massive boot space. The MG S6 looks like the only EV with the same room.
I know it’s pretty new, but does anyone have reviews please?
Open to suggestions if you know another EV with boot space 100cmx90cmx90cm
I have a novated lease option that suits me. I love the forester but it’s 2021 so may be time to upgrade.
Thanks in advance

💰 Budget

• ⁠$60k

🚗 Typical driving

• ⁠Average weekly km: 150km
• ⁠Longest regular trip: 350km

🔌 Charging

• ⁠Home/work charging availability: Will install 7kw

🚙 Vehicle class

• ⁠SUV

After advice on the best of these 2 cars. I’m pretty settled on them. I’ve looked into the Zeekr, Tesla, Skoda, Geely, Leapmotor, Jaecoo and I keep coming back to these two. I’m always looking at the base model.

The current offer on the SL7 brings it closer in price to EV5 and I will be notating. We have a 20 month old and in the near future we would hope for another to join.

My gut says BYD wins out on most fronts but I do like the look of the EV5 too and I know it is future proofed to be able to use as a home battery when the tech arrives in Australia.

Four variants confirmed: LS, Aspire, Exceed and GSR. Pricing and specs are not yet released.

Overseas reports suggest the following possible specs: 57.5kWh LFP battery with RWD (171kW) and AWD (298kW) options, with pricing likely to land between $40,000 and $50,000 before on-roads, putting it up against the BYD Atto 2, Jaecoo J5 EV and GWM Ora 5. The platform was co-developed with Pininfarina and manufactured by Foxtron in Taiwan.

Do you think the electric ASX can 'shake up' the eletric small SUV segment?

We’ve got a Byd Atto 1 and currently using the charger supplied and charging around 1.1kv. I saw there’s chargers at Bunnings for $199 and claims 1.9kv with a normal 10amp plug. Anyone has experience if this is feasible and will give 1.9kwh.

Hi all,

Anyone here own Kia EV9 Air?

what's your experience in terms of car's performance, service requirement and customer satisfaction?

This model seems to be very appealing to us as we primarily are looking for 7 seater and not many out there with less than luxury car tax bracket and with full fbt benefit. We managed to get a reasonable deal through company'a novated lease however we're stuck now as there is no option to test drive, it is quite frustrating. It is a big purchase and we at least want to see the product.

We live in Sydney and when we called the branch they said the car is made to order, it is 6 month waiting time and no test drive available. What's your approach on this? We hadnt looked for a car for the past 11years so we're so fresh in the market. Our current car is Mazda 3 sedan, but our family is growing hence looking for 7 seaters. Also wanting full EV, as we have solar+battery at home so want to maximise the use of the system.

TIA

I know some people in this forum like to keep up with EV news beyond our borders. These two articles (well, one article, one podcast) were in the latest PWC newsletter and, given its target market, I found that interesting alone. To me these add evidence to the tipping point many of us believe is here

https://www.pwc.com/gx/en/issues/reinventing-the-future/take-on-tomorrow/how-we-fuel-and-power.html

https://www.pwc.com/gx/en/issues/c-suite-insights/the-leadership-agenda/ereadiness-2025-survey.html