Cheapest Electric Cars Australia 2025 | 2 EVs Under $30,000, 7 under $40,000

The BYD Atto 1 is Australia's most affordable electric vehicle, perfect for urban settings with fast-charging capability.

The BYD Atto 1 will start from $23,990 plus on-road costs, making it Australia's most affordable electric vehicle. Available in two models, the Essential and the Premium, with a 30kWh and 43.2kWh battery respectively, the Atto 1 is perfect for urban settings with fast-charging capability, with DC charging from 10%–80% in approximately 30 minutes, making it ideal for city dwellers and first-time EV buyers.

The Atto 1 is a compact city hatchback, measuring approximately 3,780mm in length, making it one of the smallest EVs available in Australia. Its compact dimensions make it ideal for urban driving and parking, while still offering practical interior space for city commuters and small families.

The Atto 1 is known as the Dolphin Mini in Latin America, Dolphin Surf in Europe, and Seagull in the domestic Chinese market.

Built on BYD's next-generation e-Platform 3.0, the Atto 1 delivers the performance, safety and efficiency expected from BYD's growing EV portfolio. It feature the latest evolution of BYD's Blade Battery and 8-in-1 electric powertrain, with extensive R&D testing for suspension tuning and ADAS specifically for Australian conditions.

The Atto 1 will arrive in Australian dealerships in December 2025, joining BYD's growing lineup alongside the Atto 3, Seal, Dolphin, Shark 6, Sealion 6 and Sealion 7.

The BYD Dolphin features great in-car technology, a high quality interior and good passenger and storage space.

Following the recent introduction of the "Essential" trim, the BYD Dolphin range is now priced from $29,990 before on-road costs (~$32,000 drive-away, depending on the state), making it the cheapest electric car available. All Dolphin variants will be eligible for the various state government incentives and the FBT exemption which is available through a novated lease.

Both Dolphin and Essential and Dynamic trims offer 340km of claimed driving range on the stricter WLTP testing cycle. Meanwhile, the Dolphin Premium Extended Range battery is offered for $6000 more with 427km of range (WLTP). Both battery sizes can be topped up with up to 7kW AC and 60 kW/80kW DC speeds, with an included vehicle-to-load (V2L) adapter for powering other devices or appliances outside the car.

Built on the same dedicated EV platform as the popular BYD Atto 3, both models use BYD's 'Blade Battery' based on lithium-iron-phosphate (LFP) technology.

All variants feature a 12.8-inch tablet-style rotatable infotainment system running its own 'DiLink' software and a complete suite of safety assistance systems like adaptive cruise control and a 360-degree camera.

The BYD Atto 2 combines SUV comfort with urban practicality, offering a blend of performance, space, and efficiency.

The BYD Atto 2 will be priced from $31,990 plus on-road costs making is the cheapest electric SUV in Australia. The larger Atto 2 combines SUV comfort with urban practicality, featuring a 51.3kWh battery across both the Dynamic and Premium models. It offers a blend of performance, space, and efficiency, with DC charging from 10%-80% in approximately 39 minutes.

The Atto 2 is a compact SUV that sits between a small hatchback and a mid-size SUV. With dimensions larger than the Atto 1 but smaller than the Atto 3, it offers a practical balance of urban manoeuvrability and interior space, making it suitable for small families and those who need extra cargo capacity without the bulk of a larger SUV.

Together, the Atto 1 and Atto 2 not only redefine affordability for electric vehicles, but also mark one of the first times electric vehicles have reached true price parity - and in some cases, undercut their petrol-powered competitors.

Built on BYD's next-generation e-Platform 3.0, both the Atto 2 feature the latest evolution of BYD's Blade Battery and 8-in-1 electric powertrain, with extensive R&D testing for suspension tuning and ADAS specifically for Australian conditions.

The Atto 2 will arrive in Australian dealerships in December 2025.

The GWM Ora offers distinctive retro styling both inside and out. While storage space is modest, passenger space is generous.

The Great Wall Motors (GWM) Ora (known as the Ora Funky Cat or Good Cat overseas) debuted in Australia in April 2023, as one of Australia's cheapest new electric cars.

The GWM Ora has been the long standing cheapest EV in the country (until recently) with prices starting from $35,990 drive-away for the Lux variant.

The GWM Ora electric hatch has received a recent update, now sourced from Thailand. It features a new 57.7kWh LFP battery (replacing the previous 48kWh and 63kWh packs), offered in Lux and GT trims with the same battery. A limited run of 30 "Ultra" editions (Aurora Green with black roof, blue/grey interior) will be imported before being discontinued.

Range is now 400km (Lux) and 380km (GT) under WLTP, compared with the previous 310–420km figures. The new LFP battery promises longer lifespan, faster charging, and adds vehicle-to-load (V2L) capability.

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

▶️REVIEW: GWM Ora: Australia's best value electric car

The MG4 offers good driving dynamics, sleek styling and good interior space.

Following the cessation of a recent price reduction, the MG 4 still remains one of the cheapest EVs in Australia with prices starting from $36,990 plus on'road costs for the base variant. It is available in three battery sizes and two trims providing up to 530km of claimed WLTP driving range.

The base model offers modest charging speeds capable of up to 6.6kW AC and 88kW DC. Charging speeds for the long range variant are bumped up to a speed 11KW AC and 140kW DC. All models are capable of vehicle-to-load (V2L) via a compatible adapter.

It features a 10.25-inch tablet-style touchscreen with wired Apple CarPlay and wired Android Auto, 50-50 claimed weight distribution and rides on SAIC Motor's Modular Scalable Platform (MSP) dedicated EV platform.

All variants will be eligible for the various state government incentives and the FBT exemption which is available through a novated lease.

The MG4 electric car is covered by a ten-year, 250,000 km vehicle and battery warranty. The same period also applies to its roadside assistance and capped-price servicing coverage.