Automotive news

• Think the Ford Ranger can do it all? Chinese company unveils bizarre electric SUV-coupe-ute mash-up

  27-04-2024 22:00 via drive.com.au
  Changan’s Qiyuan E07 is what you get if you mash together an SUV coupe with a ute, with a healthy sprinkling of Cybertruck styling.If you can’t quite decide between the comfort of an SUV and the practicality of a ute, Chinese car maker Changan has the answer with the new Qiyuan E07 that can transform between both, due in Chinese showrooms this October.Shown at the Beijing motor show in recent days, the E07 keeps the Cybertruck-esque retractable rear roof of the 2023 ‘CD701&rsqu
  
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• Military truck ploughs through Queensland petrol station

  15-05-2024 04:30 via drive.com.au
  Authorities confirmed no one was injured in the incident, while the service station sustained structural damage as a result of the mishap.Photo Credit: Facebook
  A military truck heading to Townsville has destroyed a petrol station in Queensland – with photos and videos of the armoured vehicle wedged at the entrance of a petrol bowser circulating on social media.The incident is believed to have occurred this week at an Ampol service station in Sarina, a rural town located in North Queenslan
  
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• 1968’s Car of the Year was a revolution and a gloriously noble failure

  15-05-2024 04:03 via drive.com.au
  The NSU Ro 80 was 20 years ahead of its time and a dismal failure that sent its maker broke and yet its legacy still lives on today.The NSU Ro 80 was a car ahead of its time, a sleek, rotary-powered executive sedan that stunned onlookers when it was first revealed at the 1967 Frankfurt motor show. It garnered immediate praise, won the 1968 European Car of the Year (the first German car ever to do so) and its marketing slogan – Vorsprung durch Technik (Progress through Technology) – p
  
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• US Government quadruples tariffs on Chinese-made electric cars

  15-05-2024 03:56 via drive.com.au
  Chinese electric cars imported to the US will now pay their value in tariffs on arrival – and analysts warn the new taxes may have a broader impact on vehicles sold by all manufacturers.The US Government has quadrupled its tariff on Chinese-made electric vehicles – from 25 to 100 per cent – in a move claimed to be in response to “unfair trade practices” and “artificially low-priced” exports.It will mean car makers will now pay the value of the Chinese-ma
  
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• Kia’s most affordable global electric car yet breaks cover ahead of schedule

  15-05-2024 03:26 via drive.com.au
  Kia’s upcoming EV3 electric car could compete against the BYD Atto 3 and Volvo EX30 on price.The upcoming Kia EV3 electric car has surfaced online, revealing exactly what to expect from the SUV believed to be the company’s most affordable electric car for global markets.Published by CarWale, the EV3 is sized similarly to the Seltos – a small SUV – slotting in below the Niro, EV6, and upcoming EV5.And given the smaller-still EV2 is out of contention for the Australian mark
  
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• Federal Budget 2024: Road safety to benefit from $21M data hub enhancement

  15-05-2024 02:59 via drive.com.au
  An improvement to road accident data availability will help inform better action plans to improve road safety for all motorists.The Australian Government has announced that, as part of the 2024 Federal Budget, a $21.2 million investment will be made to improve the reporting of national road safety data made available by the National Road Safety Data Hub.The support package, presented by the Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communication and the Arts (DITRDCA), is pr
  
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• 2024 Renault Megane E-Tech Electric price cut by $10,000 for limited time

  15-05-2024 02:28 via drive.com.au
  Renault has applied a $10,000 price cut to the Megane electric car until the end of this financial year, amid growing competition from Chinese brands.The 2024 Renault Megane E-Tech is the latest electric car to have its price cut in Australia as part of an End of Financial Year (EOFY) offer.Until 30 June 2024 the Megane E-Tech Electric – available in a single EV60 Techno variant – is priced from $54,990 plus on-road costs, a saving of $10,000 from its regular RRP.Drive-away prices ra
  
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• Jailed driver admits Tesla’s ‘Autopilot’ not to blame in Melbourne hit-and-run – report

  15-05-2024 01:00 via drive.com.au
  A driver who lied about using a driver assistance feature at the time her vehicle hit a pedestrian has been sentenced to prison.A Melbourne woman has been sentenced to nine months in prison for a hit-and-run after admitting that her Tesla’s ‘Autopilot’ semi-autonomous driving assistance was not to blame for the accident after all.In March 2022, the woman was a probationary driver behind the wheel of an electric Tesla Model 3 when she hit a 26-year-old nurse at 58km/h, who was c
  
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• Price-leading Leapmotor electric cars from China coming to Australia

  15-05-2024 00:51 via drive.com.au
  The parent company of Jeep, Ram and Peugeot will help launch electric cars from Leapmotor – including a budget-priced EV city hatch – in Australia and Europe as soon as this year.
  Leapmotor T03.
  Stellantis – the parent company of Fiat-Chrysler and Peugeot-Citroen – has announced plans to sell electric cars from relatively fresh Chinese brand Leapmotor globally to challenge the likes of BYD and GWM.Included in the global expansion of Leapmotor – founded in 2015 &ndas
  
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• Budget-priced Leapmotor electric cars from China coming to Australia

  15-05-2024 00:51 via drive.com.au
  The parent company of Jeep, Ram and Peugeot will help launch electric cars from Leapmotor – including a budget-priced EV city hatch – in Australia and Europe as soon as this year.
  Leapmotor T03.
  Stellantis – the parent company of Fiat-Chrysler and Peugeot-Citroen – has announced plans to sell electric cars from relatively fresh Chinese brand Leapmotor globally to challenge the likes of BYD and GWM.Included in the global expansion of Leapmotor – founded in 2015 &ndas
  
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• 2025 BYD Shark plug-in hybrid ute revealed: Quicker than a Ranger Raptor, in Australia this year

  15-05-2024 00:40 via drive.com.au
  Meet Australia’s first plug-in hybrid ute, the Shark from Chinese car giant BYD – and it promises diesel-like fuel economy with twin-turbo petrol V6 performance.The BYD Shark has finally been fully unveiled, with the first ute from the giant Chinese car brand due in Australia by the end of this year also representing the first plug-in hybrid pick-up to reach local showrooms.It claims fuel consumption of 7.5 litres per 100km – similar to a four-cylinder diesel – in hybrid
  
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• 2024 MG 4 prices rise in Australia, just weeks after significant price cuts

  15-05-2024 00:00 via drive.com.au
  A price rise has been applied to four of the five MG 4 electric-car variants after substantial decreases earlier this year.The 2024 MG 4 electric car is now $1000 more expensive across most models.A $1000 price rise has been applied to four of the five MG 4 variants – Excite 51, Excite 64, Essence 64 and Long Range 77 – for Model Year 2024 (MY24) examples, with the range now starting from $40,990 drive-away.The top-of-the-range XPower is unchanged at $59,990 drive-away.The MG increas
  
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• Hopes for new six-cylinder Mazda 6 dashed again

  14-05-2024 23:00 via drive.com.au
  Mazda has given its best indication in years that reports claiming a rear-wheel-drive, six-cylinder successor to the Mazda 6 are untrue.Mazda has given fans still longing for a new Mazda 6 sedan with rear-wheel drive and six-cylinder engines another reason to move on.Reports from Japan have claimed for years that a new Mazda 6 is in development, based on the new rear-wheel-drive ‘Large Products Technology’ architecture of Mazda’s four luxury-priced, six-cylinder SUVs – th
  
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• Digital licences rolled out for most Victorians – but not for everyone

  14-05-2024 22:00 via drive.com.au
  All Victorians, except those on their Ls or Ps, can now connect their driver licence to their smartphone.The trials have been completed and the wait is over. All full Victorian drivers can now access their digital licence details from the My VicRoads or Service Victoria smartphone app.Victorians can use the digital licence as proof of age or identification at stores, clubs and other venues, and in terms of needing to access your phone in the event of a traffic stop, Victoria Police told Drive fu
  
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• Opinion: Drivers, if you do this at a green light – please stop

  14-05-2024 21:29 via drive.com.au
  If you’re sitting at a green traffic light and doing this, you’re part of the reason our roads are more congested than ever.Among the many things that grind my gears about people’s driving abilities is when other motorists fail to move off as soon as the traffic light turns green. RELATED: Get out of the right lane I’ve split these people into two categories: the slow reactors, people who simply do not care and are not in a hurry, and the distractors, people fiddling
  
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• 2024 Honda Accord e:HEV RS: Australian first drive

  14-05-2024 16:00 via drive.com.au
  As one of Honda’s longest-running nameplates, the 11th-generation Accord is a big deal to the brand. But what is it to consumers?
  Skip ahead:IntroductionRunning costsPrice and specificationEnergy useInterior space and comfortOn-road assessmentConnectivity and infotainmentSummarySafety Next steps
  2024 Honda Accord e:HEV RSCars like the 2024 Honda Accord shouldn’t exist. Not because it’s no good (spoiler alert: I really enjoyed my time with it), but simply for the fact that it se
  
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• Skywell electric SUV coming to Australia as new cheaper Tesla Model Y rival

  14-05-2024 08:46 via drive.com.au
  An Australian company is preparing to import a new EV SUV from a fresh Chinese car brand, with the promise of Tesla Model Y space at a budget price.Skywell – an emerging Chinese car maker – is preparing a new mid-size electric SUV destined for Australia late this year or early next year as the next challenger to price-leading electric vehicles from the likes of BYD and GWM.Imported by Australian company EV Automotive, the 4698mm-long SUV is a similar size to a Tesla Model Y or Hyunda
  
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• Does auto start-stop actually save fuel?

  14-05-2024 08:22 via drive.com.au
  Automatic start-stop systems have been employed on cars for decades, but are they actually doing anything to save petrol?You can hear it occasionally while waiting in traffic, or even in your own vehicle. Cars pull up to a set of traffic lights, switch off and then switch back on when you or the driver presses the accelerator. RELATED: Do modern cars need to be warmed up?While it seems like a relatively new invention, the first car to offer an automatic start-stop or idle-stop sys
  
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• Subaru to launch three electric SUVs with help from Toyota by 2026

  14-05-2024 07:05 via drive.com.au
  A new range of electric Subaru EV models is just around the corner, with the company leaning on its relationship with Toyota.Subaru has announced it will add three new electric SUVs to its line-up by 2026, to be developed jointly with Toyota.At a global investor event this week, Subaru revealed it was working with Toyota – which has a 20 per cent stake in Subaru – to develop three additional electric SUVs, with one to be built in the US and another in Japan. Details of the third mode
  
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• 2025 Porsche 911 Hybrid production starts, is faster than current equivalent

  14-05-2024 06:07 via drive.com.au
  The first electrified version of the German car maker’s famous sports car has gone into production after an extensive testing program – and it’s fast.The Porsche 911 hybrid is now in production ahead of its official global unveiling in Europe planned for 28 May 2024 with the German car maker saying it’s faster than its petrol-only equivalent.In a statement, Porsche revealed the 911 hybrid’s official unveiling date and a rapid lap time around the famous Nurburgring N
  
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• Tesla rehiring Supercharger staff after firing global team last month – report

  14-05-2024 05:36 via drive.com.au
  Staff working on the Tesla Supercharger network have begun to be re-hired – amid criticism from customers and investors – after Elon Musk dismissed the team two weeks ago.Elon Musk has begun rehiring engineers and executives behind Tesla Superchargers two weeks after the 500-member team behind the global fast-charging network was laid off.In a stunning about-face – which the US car giant has billed as an internal “restructure” – news agency Bloomberg reports T
  
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• 2025 Kia EV6 electric car facelift revealed with longer range, due in Australia this year

  14-05-2024 03:15 via drive.com.au
  The Kia EV6 EV has been updated with a new look, longer driving range and more modern infotainment system ahead of local showroom arrivals later this year.The facelifted 2025 Kia EV6 electric car has been unveiled with new styling, updated interior technology and a longer driving range, ahead of Australian arrivals due by the end of this year.The EV6 – which has been on sale in South Korea for three years – has come in for its mid-life upgrade, gaining many of the latest features see
  
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• Dad denied parking access at children’s hospital because his electric car ‘might catch fire or explode’

  14-05-2024 02:58 via drive.com.au
  The man was taking his son to a medical appointment, but was told to park elsewhere because the site has a temporary ban on EVs.A father has been turned away from taking his child to a leading children’s hospital because he was driving an electric car.Paul Freeman-Powell was refused access to the car park of the Alder Hey Hospital in Liverpool, UK, when taking his seven-year-old son for a medical appointment on 1 May because the site has a temporary ban on electric vehicles, in that partic
  
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• More affordable Polestar 3 electric SUV coming soon

  14-05-2024 01:00 via drive.com.au
  A single-motor, rear-wheel-drive Polestar 3 EV SUV is due to be unveiled before the end of the year.Polestar has confirmed a more affordable, entry-level Polestar 3 electric SUV is due to join the broader range by the end of the year.Polestar‘s global head of product communications, Brent Ellis, told media including Drive at the global launch for the Polestar 3: “Later this year the single-motor version of the Polestar 3 will be available.“It will be rear-wheel drive and we wil
  
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• Echuca Holden museum to auction collection this weekend, including near-unicorn Statesman coupe

  14-05-2024 00:11 via drive.com.au
  A number of rare and desirable vehicles will be up for grabs in the auction, which comes after the recent closure of the site in April.The former National Holden Motor Museum is auctioning off its collection this week – which includes several rare and sought-after vehicles – following its recent closure.Inspections of the items up for grabs began on Sunday, and are set to continue all this week between 10am and 3pm at the site in Warren Street, Echuca, VIC, until the auctions take pl
  
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• 2025 Mercedes-Benz G580 electric: Quick drive

  14-05-2024 00:05 via drive.com.au
  With four electric motors and more power than the petrol-powered V8, the 2025 Mercedes-Benz G580 promises to take the G-Class game to a completely different sphere. Trent Nikolic tests the first G-Class with EQ technology at its international launch. 2025 Mercedes-Benz G580If you measure a four-wheel drive purely by the numbers, the 2025 Mercedes-Benz G580 puts forward a compelling case. The first number you need to consider is four. Four motors to be specific. One at each wheel, something
  
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• 2025 Mercedes-AMG G63: Quick drive

  14-05-2024 00:00 via drive.com.au
  There’s an electric G-Wagen coming, but rejoice in the lunacy of the 2025 Mercedes-AMG G63 in all its petrol-powered excess. Trent Nikolic tests the updated G63 at its international launch ahead of its local arrival in late 2024.
  2025 Mercedes-Benz G63 WagonI can assure you that – despite what the manufacturers would have us believe – there’s a certain lack of character that electric vehicles inevitably suffer from. There’s depth in their technical prowess, sub
  
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• Is it cheaper to drive or catch public transport? Here’s the truth in 2024

  13-05-2024 23:00 via drive.com.au
  Catching public transport is often seen as the most cost-effective way to commute in different cities – is this still the case? We find out.While public transport is generally recognised as a cost-effective way of getting from A to B, the rising cost of petrol and public transport has cast doubt over which is the more budget-friendly option for commuting in 2024.
  RELATED: The city with the worst traffic in the worldThough car ownership usually involves additional costs such as maintenance,
  
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• 2025 Volkswagen California revealed with plug-in hybrid, confirmed for Australia

  13-05-2024 23:00 via drive.com.au
  The new generation of Volkswagen’s Kombi camper is heading Down Under following its global reveal with more space and more engine choices.The new-generation 2025 Volkswagen California camper van has been revealed, offering a plug-in hybrid drivetrain in Europe from June before hitting Australian showrooms.Shown as a concept vehicle in August 2023, the production version of the new Volkswagen California is based on the ‘T7’ Multivan passenger van which is scheduled to arrive in
  
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• Toyota Camry records highest sales since Australian production

  13-05-2024 22:00 via drive.com.au
  Despite a new model around the corner, the Toyota Camry has tallied its best start to the year since 2017 as improved production volume helps clear back-orders.The Toyota Camry sedan has more than tripled its sales in Australia since the start of this year – and recorded its highest sales in the first third of a calendar year since 2017, six months before the gates to the Australian factory closed.It has not regained the sales lead in the mid-size sedan category it lost to the Tesla Model
  
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