5 Cheapest Electric Cars in Australia in 2023

The Great Wall Motors (GWM) Ora (known as the Ora Funky Cat or Good Cat overseas) will debut in Australia from April, as one of Australia's cheapest new electric cars.

Priced from $43,990 to $53,990 before on-road costs, the Ora EV provides up to 420km of claimed WLTP driving range featuring a quirky two-tone colour design, and a seven-year, unlimited kilometre vehicle warranty as standard.

The electric car can be charged at up to 11kW AC, with a maximum rate of 64kW DC on the Standard Range or 67kW DC on the Extended Range. The company claims the Standard Range can recharge from 10 to 80 per cent in 41 minutes on a compatible public EV charger.

It is offered in two variants featuring a 10.25-inch infotainment display and a 10.25 inch driver instrument display and complete active safety assist suite.

The GWM Ora EV is covered by a seven-year, unlimited kilometre vehicle warranty and an eight-year battery warranty.

The MG ZS EV received a major facelift last year, with fresher looks, updated tech and an all-new battery pack, but prices are slightly up.

The 2023 MG ZS EV starts from $43,990 before on-road costs nationwide (before state incentives).

The refreshed Chinese small electric SUV provides up to 320km of range (WLTP). It can charge at up to 6.6kW AC or 75kW DC rates on a compatible charger.

Standard equipment highlights on the base Excite includes a larger 10.1-inch touchscreen with wired Apple CarPlay and wired Android Auto, full LED headlights, and ‘MG Pilot’ active safety assistance systems including auto emergency braking (AEB), adaptive cruise control with traffic jam assist, 360-degree surround view camera, and more.

Buyers who want features like blind-spot monitoring, rear-cross traffic alert, faux leather seats, and more will need to step up to the flagship Essence model at $47,990 before on-road costs.

Launching in 2022 with much fanfare, the BYD Atto 3 has quickly positioned itself as one of the best selling electric cars in the market.

The BYD Atto 3 is a small to medium SUV riding on a dedicated EV platform, starting from $48,011 before on-road costs and state incentives.

The Atto 3 Standard Range offers 320km of claimed driving range on the stricter WLTP testing cycle. Meanwhile, an Extended Range battery is offered for $3000 more with 420km of range (WLTP). Both packs can be topped up with up to 7kW AC or 80kW DC speeds, with an included vehicle-to-load (V2L) adapter for powering other devices or appliances outside the car.

Both models use the Shenzhen firm’s own ‘Blade Battery’ based on lithium-iron-phosphate (LFP) technology. It’s claimed to be more durable, safer, and longer-lasting than traditional packs with minimal degradation over one million kilometres of driving.

With only one high-spec model, the BYD EV features a 12.8-inch tablet-style rotatable infotainment system running its own ‘DiLink’ software, panoramic sunroof, and a complete suite of safety assistance systems like adaptive cruise control and a 360-degree camera.

The updated Nissan Leaf starts from only $50,990 before on-road costs and state incentives.

The pure-electric Japanese hatchback offers up to 270km of range (WLTP) on a single charge, and up to 3.6kW AC or 50kW DC charging speeds. Additionally, the Leaf e+ with a bigger battery good for 385km of driving range (WLTP) is also available, priced from $60,490 before on-road costs.

It’s worth noting that all Leaf’s use a CHAdeMO DC fast charging connector, instead of the more common CCS2 type found on other EVs in this list. Though most Tritium RT50 charging stations, a common sight across the country, offer a CHAdeMO plug.

With one highly-specified model, the Leaf features an 8-inch infotainment system with wired Apple CarPlay and wired Android Auto, leather-accented seats with Ultrasuede inserts, E-Pedal regenerative braking system, and more.

All models are capable of bidirectional charging, including vehicle-to-home (V2H) and vehicle-to-grid (V2G) to lower electricity bills and the TCO, though it isn’t available for the masses in Australia yet.

After a facelift in 2021, the Hyundai Kona Electric is now more accessible with the introduction of a smaller Standard Range battery.

The pure-electric small SUV starts from $54,500 before on-road costs and state incentives.

In its Standard Range battery configuration, it provides a claimed 305km of range (WLTP) and can be charged at up to 7.2kW AC or 100kW DC. Meanwhile, an Extended Range battery is available for up to 484km of range (WLTP), but is priced from $60,500 before on-roads.

Standard features in the base Elite Standard Range include a 10.25-inch infotainment system with wired Apple CarPlay and wired Android Auto, acoustic windscreen film, and full safety assist suite accompanied by safe exit warning and rear occupant alert.

We've summarised the key specs for each model on this list below. Overall the GWM Ora seems to represent better value in terms of specs and features. Its has comparable range and charging, but has a more luxurious interior and a better infotainment system.