EVs under $40,000

Honda's first confirmed Australian EV — a small city-focused hatch announced for H2 2026. Pricing and full specs not yet released by Honda Australia.

From

TBA

Range

280 km

Battery

35 kWh

Hyundai's small electric hatchback — announced for Australian launch in early 2027. Built on the same E-GMP platform as the Ioniq 5/6/9 but in compact hatch form.

From

TBA

Range

420 km

Battery

60 kWh

Polestar's smallest SUV — confirmed for late 2027 / early 2028 Australian launch. Positioned below the Polestar 3 and 4, similar in size to a Volvo XC40 / EX40.

From

TBA

Range

480 km

Battery

75 kWh

BYD's smallest electric — a city hatch that takes Australia's EV from-price down to $23,990. The Premium variant lifts range to 310 km from a 43.2 kWh battery.

From

$23,990

Range up to

310 km

Battery up to

43.2 kWh

The Dolphin is one of Australia's cheapest new EVs and one of the best small-car bargains, full stop. With a Blade LFP battery, full ADAS suite, and 5-star ANCAP rating, it punches well above its sticker price.

From

$29,990

Range up to

427 km

Battery up to

60.5 kWh

Geely's small electric hatch — confirmed for Australian launch late 2026, positioned below the EX5 as a city-focused entry-level EV.

From

$30,000

Range

320 km

Battery

40 kWh

Rear-wheel-drive small hatch from China's SAIC that consistently undercuts every European rival. The 10-year/250,000 km warranty is unmatched in the segment.

From

$30,990

Range up to

452 km

Battery up to

64 kWh

GAC's electric small hatch — 60 kWh LFP battery, 430 km WLTP range, and an 8-year / 200,000 km battery warranty. Aggressive launch pricing at $30,990 for the first 600 buyers.

From

$30,990

Range

430 km

Battery

60 kWh

BYD's smallest SUV — slots beneath the Atto 3 with a cheaper from-price. The Blade LFP battery delivers a 345 km WLTP range, with vehicle-to-load and Vehicle-to-Vehicle charging as standard.

From

$31,990

Range up to

345 km

Battery up to

51.3 kWh

Leapmotor's compact electric hatchback — confirmed for Australian launch mid-2026. Positioned below the B10 SUV as a city-focused entry EV.

From

$32,000

Range

380 km

Battery

50 kWh

Once the cheapest EV in Australia, the ZS EV remains a competitive small SUV option with the same 10-year warranty backing as the MG4 hatch.

From

$33,990

Range up to

440 km

Battery up to

72.6 kWh

Retro-styled small hatch from Great Wall Motor, the Ora targets style-led city buyers. Its distinctive face and round headlights have earned it the unofficial nickname 'electric VW Beetle'.

From

$33,990

Range up to

420 km

Battery up to

63 kWh

Chery's premium-positioned Jaecoo brand launched the J5 BEV in Australia — a small electric SUV at sub-$36k that pitches against the Chery E5 with sharper styling.

From

$35,990

Range

402 km

Battery

60.9 kWh

Chery's electric small SUV — a 58.9 kWh LFP-battery crossover priced under $40,000. The 130 kW DC charging peak is competitive for the segment.

From

$37,990

Range

430 km

Battery

58.9 kWh

Leapmotor is a Chinese EV brand partly owned by Stellantis, with a small electric SUV that lands at sub-$40k. The 56 kWh LFP battery delivers a modest but honest range; Design LR adds a 67.1 kWh option.

From

$38,990

Range up to

500 km

Battery up to

67.1 kWh

Hyundai's tiny city EV pitches Australian buyers a sub-$40k Korean alternative to the Chinese-built BYD Dolphin and MG 4. Modest performance but characterful design and clever interior packaging.

From

$39,000

Range up to

360 km

Battery up to

49 kWh

BYD's small electric SUV undercuts almost every European rival on price while offering a 5-star ANCAP rating, a roomy interior, and a Blade LFP battery that's regarded as one of the safest chemistries on the market.

From

$39,990

Range up to

420 km

Battery up to

60.5 kWh