BYD’s Atto 3 Grows Up, Porsche Goes 850kW, Kia’s EV Van Gets Orders, and Australia’s Next Wave of Chinese EV Brands Arrives

Send us Fan MailIn this episode of Plugged In Australia, we cover the next-generation BYD Atto 3, which has now been revealed in China with a much larger body, rear-wheel drive, 800-volt architecture, flash charging and possible Atto 5 branding for our region. Kia’s PV5 electric van is already taking orders ahead of its late-May Australian launch, while the smaller Kia EV2 remains under study for Australia but faces a tough business case because of European production, shipping logistics and pricing pressure from Chinese rivals. Porsche reveals the Cayenne Coupe Electric with up to 850 kilowatts and more range than the SUV, Audi upgrades the Q4 e-tron with bidirectional charging and better efficiency, Hyundai lifts Inster pricing despite sharper small-EV competition, Volvo cuts thousands off EX30 and EX40 pricing, Chery-backed Lepas and iCar prepare for Australian launches, Nissan and LDV reveal more plug-in SUVs and utes, Zeekr talks up EREV luxury performance, BYD’s big new SUV and U9 Xtreme supercar show how far the brand is pushing, and Australia backs electric kiln technology to help clean up battery materials.00:00 Cold intro00:43 Intro01:21 BYD’s next Atto 3 revealed — bigger, faster and possibly renamed Atto 507:20 BYD Sealion 08, Great Tang and Yangwang U9 Xtreme11:11 Kia PV5 electric van gets early Australian orders13:25 Kia EV2 still under study for Australia18:07 Kia’s electric ute plans and the right-hand-drive question19:18 Porsche Cayenne Coupe Electric — 850kW, 3500kg towing and Australian pricing22:57 Audi Q4 e-tron facelift adds bidirectional charging25:22  Lepas L4 and Chery’s expanding Australian EV brand strategy27:00 iCar/iCaur confirmed for Australia with EREV off-roaders29:15 Nissan Terrano and Urban PHEV SUVs30:27 LDV T60/Terron 9 PHEVs and the plug-in ute wave31:52 Zeekr 8X and 9X EREV luxury SUVs33:43 Hyundai Inster price rise and Volvo EV price cuts35:37 Fast charging and EV battery health37:18   Australian electric kiln trial for cleaner battery materials38:44 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