Australia’s Plug-In SUV and Ute War Explodes: Geely, Freelander, MG, JAC, GWM, Cadillac, BMW M and ANCAP

Send us Fan MailIn Episode 50 of Plugged In Australia, we cover a huge wave of electrified models and strategy updates aimed directly at Australian buyers. Geely is preparing a seven-seat hybrid and plug-in hybrid SUV for 2027, Freelander is being reborn as a Chery and Land Rover-backed electrified off-road brand, MG’s incoming IM8 range-extender SUV promises massive CLTC range, and JAC is preparing to undercut the BYD Shark 6 with a cheaper plug-in hybrid ute. We also cover GWM’s upgraded Haval H6GT PHEV, its diesel-hybrid and plug-in hybrid 4x4 strategy, new five-star ANCAP results for BYD, MG, Tesla and Skoda, a sharp Cadillac Lyriq drive-away offer, Zeekr’s FR performance reboot, BMW’s electric M3 pricing hints, Leapmotor’s Australian learning curve, and Avatr testing in Melbourne.Time Stamps0:00 Intro01:04 Geely’s seven-seat hybrid SUV coming for Kluger buyers06:24 Freelander returns as an electrified off-road brand10:55 MG IM8 range-extender SUV tailored for Australia14:48 JAC Hunter PHEV could be Australia’s cheapest plug-in hybrid ute19:05 GWM Haval H6GT PHEV gets AWD and a lower price22:37  GWM developing diesel hybrids and plug-in hybrids for 4x4 buyers26:17 BYD, MG, Tesla and Skoda score five-star ANCAP results30:15 Cadillac Lyriq gets a big drive-away offer33:40 Zeekr wants its FR performance brand to take on Porsche36:19  BMW electric M3 pricing hint39:07 Leapmotor learns what Australian buyers expect41:34 Avatr 07 spotted testing in Melbourne45:45 OutroDisclaimer:All specifications, pricing, and information discussed in this episode were correct at the time of recording. The electric vehicle market moves quickly, so we recommend you always check the latest details directly with manufacturers, dealers, or official sources.This podcast provides general news and information only, based on publicly available sources and Australian Consumer Law guidelines. It is not legal, financial, or professional advice. For advice specific to your situation, please contact the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) or seek independent professional guidance.Plugged in Australia and its hosts are not responsible for any decisions, misunderstandings, or purchases made based on the content of this show.Sourcing & TransparencyAt Plugged in Australia, all our stories are sourced from publicly available news articles and reports. We do not receive any advance information or briefings from brands or manufacturers.Any analysis or opinions we share are based solely on this public information.Our main sources include (though we also use many others, and they vary by episode):https://www.carsales.com.au/https://www.carexpert.com.au/https://thedriven.io/https://www.carsguide.com.auhttps://autotalk.com.auhttps://www.carsguide.com.auhttps://evcentral.com.auhttps://www.drive.com.au