{"id":532390,"date":"2025-06-07T10:27:33","date_gmt":"2025-06-07T00:27:33","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/dmarge.com\/?p=532390"},"modified":"2025-09-09T11:17:29","modified_gmt":"2025-09-09T01:17:29","slug":"i-drove-every-ev-in-australia-this-one-blew-my-underpants-off-literally","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dmarge.com\/cars\/i-drove-every-ev-in-australia-this-one-blew-my-underpants-off-literally","title":{"rendered":"I Drove Every EV in Australia. This One Blew My Underpants Off. Literally."},"content":{"rendered":"<p><strong>Australia\u2019s EV market has officially grown up. Gone are the days of choosing between a soulless government-spec hatchback or a $90,000 Tesla. In 2025, we\u2019ve finally got options. <\/strong><\/p><p>Big ones, small ones, fast ones, weird ones, even beautiful ones. We\u2019ve driven everything worth driving this year, and these are, in our view,<strong> the five best EVs to actually buy right now.<\/strong><\/p><p>This isn\u2019t about what\u2019s the most hyped or the most expensive. It\u2019s about what delivers the most compelling mix of design, performance, range, tech, value, and straight-up cool factor.<\/p><p>RELATED: <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/dmargecars.com\/news\/polestar-5-revealed-as-brands-most-powerful-car-yet\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Polestar 5 Revealed As Brand\u2019s Most Powerful Car Yet<\/a><\/p>                <div class=\"row row-center collapse\">\n                    <div class=\"column\">\n                        <div class=\"dmg-ad\"><div id=\"incontent-765261678\" class=\"ad-container\"><script type=\"text\/javascript\">var load_70521586 = function () {googletag.cmd.push(function () {var slot_70521586 = googletag.defineSlot(\"\/1017963\/DMarge\/incontent\",[[300,250],[320,100],[320,180],[336,280],[640,360]],\"incontent-765261678\").addService(googletag.pubads()).setTargeting('refresh', 'true');if (gamData && gamData.sizeMap && gamData.sizeMap.hasOwnProperty('incontent')) {slot_70521586.defineSizeMapping(gamData.sizeMap['incontent']);}googletag.display(\"incontent-765261678\");});};adsQueue.push(load_70521586);<\/script><\/div><\/div>                    <\/div>\n                <\/div>\n                    <div class=\"content-subscribe\">\n        <div class=\"subscribe-box\">\n            <p class=\"subscribe-title\">Curated news for men, <br\/>delivered to your inbox.<\/p>\n            <form class=\"subscribe-form\" method=\"POST\">\n                <div class=\"subscribe-input\">\n                    <label class=\"screen-reader-text\" for=\"subscribe-email\">Email:<\/label>\n                    <input type=\"email\" name=\"email\" id=\"subscribe-email\" placeholder=\"Enter your email\" required class=\"form-control\" autocomplete=\"on\" \/>\n                    <button type=\"submit\" class=\"button button-primary subscribe-button\">Sign Up<\/button>\n                    <input type=\"hidden\" name=\"source\" value=\"article\" \/>\n                    <input type=\"hidden\" id=\"_wpnonce\" name=\"_wpnonce\" value=\"e2df992756\" \/><input type=\"hidden\" name=\"_wp_http_referer\" value=\"\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/532390\" \/>                <\/div>\n                <div class=\"form-result\"><\/div>\n            <\/form>\n            <p class=\"subscribe-copy\">Join the DMARGE newsletter \u2014 Be the first to receive the latest news and exclusive stories on style, travel, luxury, cars, and watches. Straight to your inbox.<\/p>\n        <\/div>\n    <\/div>\n    <h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-5-lotus-emeya-the-200k-surprise\"><strong>#5 \u2013 Lotus Emeya: The $200K Surprise<\/strong><\/h2><figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1400\" height=\"933\" src=\"https:\/\/dmarge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/Lotus-Emeya-Feature-1400x933.jpg\" alt=\"Red Lotus Emeya speeds through sunny forest road.\" class=\"wp-image-496895\" srcset=\"https:\/\/dmarge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/Lotus-Emeya-Feature-1400x933.jpg 1400w, https:\/\/dmarge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/Lotus-Emeya-Feature-960x640.jpg 960w, https:\/\/dmarge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/Lotus-Emeya-Feature-640x427.jpg 640w, https:\/\/dmarge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/Lotus-Emeya-Feature-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/dmarge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/Lotus-Emeya-Feature-480x320.jpg 480w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 480px) 400px, (max-width: 640px) 600px, (max-width: 768px) 700px, (max-width: 1024px) 800px, (min-width: 1025px) 1000px, 2048px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Big, expensive and oh so much luxury. Image: Lotus<\/figcaption><\/figure><p>Lotus building a luxury electric grand tourer might sound like sacrilege, but the <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/dmarge.com\/cars\/lotus-emeya-review\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Emeya is nothing short of brilliant<\/a>. This isn\u2019t some rebadged parts-bin exercise. It\u2019s a proper Lotus. Low, wide, fast, and full of intent, just with a 675kW dual-motor powertrain and more tech than the British brand has ever offered in its history.<\/p>                <div class=\"row row-center collapse\">\n                    <div class=\"column\">\n                        <div class=\"dmg-ad\"><div id=\"incontent-1219960630\" class=\"ad-container\"><script type=\"text\/javascript\">var load_1400550777 = function () {googletag.cmd.push(function () {var slot_1400550777 = googletag.defineSlot(\"\/1017963\/DMarge\/incontent\",[[250,250],[300,100],[300,250],[320,100],[336,280]],\"incontent-1219960630\").addService(googletag.pubads()).setTargeting('refresh', 'true');if (gamData && gamData.sizeMap && gamData.sizeMap.hasOwnProperty('incontent')) {slot_1400550777.defineSizeMapping(gamData.sizeMap['incontent']);}googletag.display(\"incontent-1219960630\");});};adsQueue.push(load_1400550777);<\/script><\/div><\/div>                    <\/div>\n                <\/div>\n                <p>From the outside, it\u2019s genuinely striking. Inside, you get a 15-inch OLED display, <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/au.kef.com\/\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">KEF audio<\/a>, four-zone climate control, and adaptive air suspension. It\u2019s smooth, intuitive, and surprisingly refined. You feel every bit of its $200K price tag. And when you plant your foot, the Emeya R\u2019s 0 to 100km\/h time of three seconds is very real.<\/p><p>Range sits just under 600km, which is plenty. But more importantly, this thing feels premium. It feels designed. It feels like Lotus has finally entered the modern era and didn\u2019t compromise who they are to get there.<\/p><h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-4-zeekr-x-the-coolest-compact-suv-you-ve-never-heard-of\"><strong>#4 \u2013 Zeekr X: The Coolest Compact SUV You\u2019ve Never Heard Of<\/strong><\/h2><figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2076\" height=\"1168\" src=\"https:\/\/dmarge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/zeekr-x.avif\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-532391\"><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The most unique design language of any EV on the market. Image: Zeekr.<\/figcaption><\/figure><p>The <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/dmarge.com\/cars\/chinese-suv-that-thinks-its-a-rolls-royce-suv-could-be-coming-to-australia\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Zeekr X is the first EV<\/a> in Australia that makes you do a double take. Not because it\u2019s trying to be outrageous, but because it just looks smart. The front end is clean. The LED lighting is sharp. The door handles pop out with theatre. Everything about it feels intentionally futuristic, but still friendly.<\/p><p>Built by <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.geely.com.au\/\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Geely<\/a> (who also own Lotus, Volvo, and Polestar), the Zeekr X is about as far from a cheap Chinese car as you can get. The cabin is minimalist without feeling barren, the screens are slick and snappy, and both the rear-wheel drive and dual-motor variants offer real punch. The AWD version does zero to 100 in just 3.8 seconds.<\/p>                <div class=\"row row-center collapse\">\n                    <div class=\"column\">\n                        <div class=\"dmg-ad\"><div id=\"incontent-530045644\" class=\"ad-container\"><script type=\"text\/javascript\">var load_1215143656 = function () {googletag.cmd.push(function () {var slot_1215143656 = googletag.defineSlot(\"\/1017963\/DMarge\/incontent\",[[250,250],[300,100],[300,250],[320,100],[336,280]],\"incontent-530045644\").addService(googletag.pubads()).setTargeting('refresh', 'true');if (gamData && gamData.sizeMap && gamData.sizeMap.hasOwnProperty('incontent')) {slot_1215143656.defineSizeMapping(gamData.sizeMap['incontent']);}googletag.display(\"incontent-530045644\");});};adsQueue.push(load_1215143656);<\/script><\/div><\/div>                    <\/div>\n                <\/div>\n                <figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-instagram wp-block-embed-instagram\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\"><blockquote class=\"instagram-media\" data-instgrm-captioned data-instgrm-permalink=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/reel\/DKbbQi1vv2j\/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading\" data-instgrm-version=\"14\" style=\" background:#FFF; border:0; border-radius:3px; box-shadow:0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width:500px; min-width:326px; padding:0; width:99.375%; width:-webkit-calc(100% - 2px); width:calc(100% - 2px);\"><div style=\"padding:16px;\"> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/reel\/DKbbQi1vv2j\/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading\" style=\" background:#FFFFFF; line-height:0; padding:0 0; text-align:center; text-decoration:none; width:100%;\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"> <div style=\" display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;\"> <div style=\"background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;\"><\/div> <div style=\"display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;\"> <div style=\" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;\"><\/div> <div style=\" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;\"><\/div><\/div><\/div><div style=\"padding: 19% 0;\"><\/div> <div style=\"display:block; height:50px; margin:0 auto 12px; width:50px;\"><svg width=\"50px\" height=\"50px\" viewbox=\"0 0 60 60\" version=\"1.1\" xmlns=\"https:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" xmlns:xlink=\"https:\/\/www.w3.org\/1999\/xlink\"><g stroke=\"none\" stroke-width=\"1\" fill=\"none\" fill-rule=\"evenodd\"><g transform=\"translate(-511.000000, -20.000000)\" fill=\"#000000\"><g><path d=\"M556.869,30.41 C554.814,30.41 553.148,32.076 553.148,34.131 C553.148,36.186 554.814,37.852 556.869,37.852 C558.924,37.852 560.59,36.186 560.59,34.131 C560.59,32.076 558.924,30.41 556.869,30.41 M541,60.657 C535.114,60.657 530.342,55.887 530.342,50 C530.342,44.114 535.114,39.342 541,39.342 C546.887,39.342 551.658,44.114 551.658,50 C551.658,55.887 546.887,60.657 541,60.657 M541,33.886 C532.1,33.886 524.886,41.1 524.886,50 C524.886,58.899 532.1,66.113 541,66.113 C549.9,66.113 557.115,58.899 557.115,50 C557.115,41.1 549.9,33.886 541,33.886 M565.378,62.101 C565.244,65.022 564.756,66.606 564.346,67.663 C563.803,69.06 563.154,70.057 562.106,71.106 C561.058,72.155 560.06,72.803 558.662,73.347 C557.607,73.757 556.021,74.244 553.102,74.378 C549.944,74.521 548.997,74.552 541,74.552 C533.003,74.552 532.056,74.521 528.898,74.378 C525.979,74.244 524.393,73.757 523.338,73.347 C521.94,72.803 520.942,72.155 519.894,71.106 C518.846,70.057 518.197,69.06 517.654,67.663 C517.244,66.606 516.755,65.022 516.623,62.101 C516.479,58.943 516.448,57.996 516.448,50 C516.448,42.003 516.479,41.056 516.623,37.899 C516.755,34.978 517.244,33.391 517.654,32.338 C518.197,30.938 518.846,29.942 519.894,28.894 C520.942,27.846 521.94,27.196 523.338,26.654 C524.393,26.244 525.979,25.756 528.898,25.623 C532.057,25.479 533.004,25.448 541,25.448 C548.997,25.448 549.943,25.479 553.102,25.623 C556.021,25.756 557.607,26.244 558.662,26.654 C560.06,27.196 561.058,27.846 562.106,28.894 C563.154,29.942 563.803,30.938 564.346,32.338 C564.756,33.391 565.244,34.978 565.378,37.899 C565.522,41.056 565.552,42.003 565.552,50 C565.552,57.996 565.522,58.943 565.378,62.101 M570.82,37.631 C570.674,34.438 570.167,32.258 569.425,30.349 C568.659,28.377 567.633,26.702 565.965,25.035 C564.297,23.368 562.623,22.342 560.652,21.575 C558.743,20.834 556.562,20.326 553.369,20.18 C550.169,20.033 549.148,20 541,20 C532.853,20 531.831,20.033 528.631,20.18 C525.438,20.326 523.257,20.834 521.349,21.575 C519.376,22.342 517.703,23.368 516.035,25.035 C514.368,26.702 513.342,28.377 512.574,30.349 C511.834,32.258 511.326,34.438 511.181,37.631 C511.035,40.831 511,41.851 511,50 C511,58.147 511.035,59.17 511.181,62.369 C511.326,65.562 511.834,67.743 512.574,69.651 C513.342,71.625 514.368,73.296 516.035,74.965 C517.703,76.634 519.376,77.658 521.349,78.425 C523.257,79.167 525.438,79.673 528.631,79.82 C531.831,79.965 532.853,80.001 541,80.001 C549.148,80.001 550.169,79.965 553.369,79.82 C556.562,79.673 558.743,79.167 560.652,78.425 C562.623,77.658 564.297,76.634 565.965,74.965 C567.633,73.296 568.659,71.625 569.425,69.651 C570.167,67.743 570.674,65.562 570.82,62.369 C570.966,59.17 571,58.147 571,50 C571,41.851 570.966,40.831 570.82,37.631\"><\/path><\/g><\/g><\/g><\/svg><\/div><div style=\"padding-top: 8px;\"> <div style=\" color:#3897f0; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:550; line-height:18px;\">View this post on Instagram<\/div><\/div><div style=\"padding: 12.5% 0;\"><\/div> <div style=\"display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;\"><div> <div style=\"background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);\"><\/div> <div style=\"background-color: #F4F4F4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;\"><\/div> <div style=\"background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);\"><\/div><\/div><div style=\"margin-left: 8px;\"> <div style=\" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;\"><\/div> <div style=\" width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg)\"><\/div><\/div><div style=\"margin-left: auto;\"> <div style=\" width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);\"><\/div> <div style=\" background-color: #F4F4F4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);\"><\/div> <div style=\" width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);\"><\/div><\/div><\/div> <div style=\"display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;\"> <div style=\" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;\"><\/div> <div style=\" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;\"><\/div><\/div><\/a><p style=\" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px; margin-bottom:0; margin-top:8px; overflow:hidden; padding:8px 0 7px; text-align:center; text-overflow:ellipsis; white-space:nowrap;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/reel\/DKbbQi1vv2j\/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading\" style=\" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px; text-decoration:none;\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">A post shared by ZEEKR Australia (@zeekr.aus)<\/a><\/p><\/div><\/blockquote><script async src=\"\/\/platform.instagram.com\/en_US\/embeds.js\"><\/script><\/div><\/figure><p>Most impressive, though, is the value. For under $65K, you get up to 540km of range, a panoramic roof, solid safety <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/dmarge.com\/cars\/best-worst-infotainment-systems-evs\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">tech, and design that stands out without shouting<\/a>. In a sea of mid-size crossovers that all look the same, the Zeekr X feels genuinely refreshing.<\/p><h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-3-bmw-ix-the-weird-af-bmw-and-it-works\"><strong>#3 \u2013 BMW iX: The Weird AF BMW (And It Works)<\/strong><\/h2><figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1400\" height=\"933\" src=\"https:\/\/dmarge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/P90585145_highRes_the-new-bmw-ix-xdriv-scaled-1-1400x933.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-532392\" srcset=\"https:\/\/dmarge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/P90585145_highRes_the-new-bmw-ix-xdriv-scaled-1-1400x933.jpg 1400w, https:\/\/dmarge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/P90585145_highRes_the-new-bmw-ix-xdriv-scaled-1-960x640.jpg 960w, https:\/\/dmarge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/P90585145_highRes_the-new-bmw-ix-xdriv-scaled-1-640x427.jpg 640w, https:\/\/dmarge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/P90585145_highRes_the-new-bmw-ix-xdriv-scaled-1-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/dmarge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/P90585145_highRes_the-new-bmw-ix-xdriv-scaled-1-480x320.jpg 480w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 480px) 400px, (max-width: 640px) 600px, (max-width: 768px) 700px, (max-width: 1024px) 800px, (min-width: 1025px) 1000px, 2048px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Weird in all the right places. Typical BMW things. Image: BMW<\/figcaption><\/figure><p>Yes, <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/dmarge.com\/cars\/bmw-electric-car\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">the iX looks like a concept car<\/a> that escaped from a design studio. And yes, that grille still divides opinion. But once you drive it, the design starts to make a lot more sense. The iX isn\u2019t trying to look like a traditional SUV. That\u2019s its strength.<\/p><p>Inside, the cabin is pure theatre. A floating curved display arcs across the dash, the seats are trimmed in recycled materials that feel genuinely premium, and the Sky Lounge panoramic roof turns every drive into a light show. Even the hexagonal steering wheel starts to feel normal after a few hours behind it.<\/p>                <div class=\"row row-center collapse\">\n                    <div class=\"column\">\n                        <div class=\"dmg-ad\"><div id=\"incontent-511093889\" class=\"ad-container\"><script type=\"text\/javascript\">var load_1465501310 = function () {googletag.cmd.push(function () {var slot_1465501310 = googletag.defineSlot(\"\/1017963\/DMarge\/incontent\",[[250,250],[300,100],[300,250],[320,100],[336,280]],\"incontent-511093889\").addService(googletag.pubads()).setTargeting('refresh', 'true');if (gamData && gamData.sizeMap && gamData.sizeMap.hasOwnProperty('incontent')) {slot_1465501310.defineSizeMapping(gamData.sizeMap['incontent']);}googletag.display(\"incontent-511093889\");});};adsQueue.push(load_1465501310);<\/script><\/div><\/div>                    <\/div>\n                <\/div>\n                <p>Performance-wise, it delivers. The xDrive50 variant gives you 300kW, 700Nm, and a zero to 100 time of 5.1 seconds. Not hypercar territory, but plenty fast for a 2.5-tonne luxury lounge on wheels. You\u2019ll get up to 600km of range from the 94.8kWh battery, and DC fast charging will get you from 10 to 80% in around 35 minutes.<\/p><p>It\u2019s weird. It\u2019s expensive. But it\u2019s also incredibly complete. BMW doesn\u2019t care what anyone thinks, and that\u2019s exactly why it works.<\/p><h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-2-leapmotor-c10-the-family-ev-that-shouldn-t-be-this-good-or-this-cheap\"><strong>#2 \u2013 Leapmotor C10: The Family EV That Shouldn\u2019t Be This Good<\/strong> or  This Cheap<\/h2><figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1200\" height=\"675\" src=\"https:\/\/dmarge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/Leapmotor-C10.webp\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-532393\" srcset=\"https:\/\/dmarge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/Leapmotor-C10.webp 1200w, https:\/\/dmarge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/Leapmotor-C10-960x540.webp 960w, https:\/\/dmarge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/Leapmotor-C10-640x360.webp 640w, https:\/\/dmarge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/Leapmotor-C10-768x432.webp 768w, https:\/\/dmarge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/Leapmotor-C10-480x270.webp 480w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 480px) 400px, (max-width: 640px) 600px, (max-width: 768px) 700px, (max-width: 1024px) 800px, (min-width: 1025px) 1000px, 2048px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">We low key loved the Leapmotor C10. Just a lot of car for the money. Image: Leapmotor<\/figcaption><\/figure><p>This is the dark horse of the list. Leapmotor might not have the badge recognition of the others, but the C10 delivers so much car for so little money, it\u2019s almost confusing. Starting at just under $46,000, the C10 is a full-sized, seven-seat electric SUV with proper tech and a design that doesn\u2019t scream \u201cbudget buy.\u201d<\/p><p>You get a 69.9kWh battery, up to 420km of range, a massive 14.6-inch centre display, panoramic sunroof, wireless charging, and a clean, modern interior that wouldn\u2019t look out of place in a car twice the price. It even has vehicle-to-load (V2L), so you can run a fridge or a coffee machine off the battery if you\u2019re that way inclined.<\/p>                <div class=\"row row-center collapse\">\n                    <div class=\"column\">\n                        <div class=\"dmg-ad\"><div id=\"incontent-1368795869\" class=\"ad-container\"><script type=\"text\/javascript\">var load_263045017 = function () {googletag.cmd.push(function () {var slot_263045017 = googletag.defineSlot(\"\/1017963\/DMarge\/incontent\",[[250,250],[300,100],[300,250],[320,100],[336,280]],\"incontent-1368795869\").addService(googletag.pubads()).setTargeting('refresh', 'true');if (gamData && gamData.sizeMap && gamData.sizeMap.hasOwnProperty('incontent')) {slot_263045017.defineSizeMapping(gamData.sizeMap['incontent']);}googletag.display(\"incontent-1368795869\");});};adsQueue.push(load_263045017);<\/script><\/div><\/div>                    <\/div>\n                <\/div>\n                <figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-instagram wp-block-embed-instagram\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\"><blockquote class=\"instagram-media\" data-instgrm-captioned data-instgrm-permalink=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/reel\/DHFcFLFPS2M\/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading\" data-instgrm-version=\"14\" style=\" background:#FFF; 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flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;\"><\/div><\/div><\/div><div style=\"padding: 19% 0;\"><\/div> <div style=\"display:block; height:50px; margin:0 auto 12px; width:50px;\"><svg width=\"50px\" height=\"50px\" viewbox=\"0 0 60 60\" version=\"1.1\" xmlns=\"https:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" xmlns:xlink=\"https:\/\/www.w3.org\/1999\/xlink\"><g stroke=\"none\" stroke-width=\"1\" fill=\"none\" fill-rule=\"evenodd\"><g transform=\"translate(-511.000000, -20.000000)\" fill=\"#000000\"><g><path d=\"M556.869,30.41 C554.814,30.41 553.148,32.076 553.148,34.131 C553.148,36.186 554.814,37.852 556.869,37.852 C558.924,37.852 560.59,36.186 560.59,34.131 C560.59,32.076 558.924,30.41 556.869,30.41 M541,60.657 C535.114,60.657 530.342,55.887 530.342,50 C530.342,44.114 535.114,39.342 541,39.342 C546.887,39.342 551.658,44.114 551.658,50 C551.658,55.887 546.887,60.657 541,60.657 M541,33.886 C532.1,33.886 524.886,41.1 524.886,50 C524.886,58.899 532.1,66.113 541,66.113 C549.9,66.113 557.115,58.899 557.115,50 C557.115,41.1 549.9,33.886 541,33.886 M565.378,62.101 C565.244,65.022 564.756,66.606 564.346,67.663 C563.803,69.06 563.154,70.057 562.106,71.106 C561.058,72.155 560.06,72.803 558.662,73.347 C557.607,73.757 556.021,74.244 553.102,74.378 C549.944,74.521 548.997,74.552 541,74.552 C533.003,74.552 532.056,74.521 528.898,74.378 C525.979,74.244 524.393,73.757 523.338,73.347 C521.94,72.803 520.942,72.155 519.894,71.106 C518.846,70.057 518.197,69.06 517.654,67.663 C517.244,66.606 516.755,65.022 516.623,62.101 C516.479,58.943 516.448,57.996 516.448,50 C516.448,42.003 516.479,41.056 516.623,37.899 C516.755,34.978 517.244,33.391 517.654,32.338 C518.197,30.938 518.846,29.942 519.894,28.894 C520.942,27.846 521.94,27.196 523.338,26.654 C524.393,26.244 525.979,25.756 528.898,25.623 C532.057,25.479 533.004,25.448 541,25.448 C548.997,25.448 549.943,25.479 553.102,25.623 C556.021,25.756 557.607,26.244 558.662,26.654 C560.06,27.196 561.058,27.846 562.106,28.894 C563.154,29.942 563.803,30.938 564.346,32.338 C564.756,33.391 565.244,34.978 565.378,37.899 C565.522,41.056 565.552,42.003 565.552,50 C565.552,57.996 565.522,58.943 565.378,62.101 M570.82,37.631 C570.674,34.438 570.167,32.258 569.425,30.349 C568.659,28.377 567.633,26.702 565.965,25.035 C564.297,23.368 562.623,22.342 560.652,21.575 C558.743,20.834 556.562,20.326 553.369,20.18 C550.169,20.033 549.148,20 541,20 C532.853,20 531.831,20.033 528.631,20.18 C525.438,20.326 523.257,20.834 521.349,21.575 C519.376,22.342 517.703,23.368 516.035,25.035 C514.368,26.702 513.342,28.377 512.574,30.349 C511.834,32.258 511.326,34.438 511.181,37.631 C511.035,40.831 511,41.851 511,50 C511,58.147 511.035,59.17 511.181,62.369 C511.326,65.562 511.834,67.743 512.574,69.651 C513.342,71.625 514.368,73.296 516.035,74.965 C517.703,76.634 519.376,77.658 521.349,78.425 C523.257,79.167 525.438,79.673 528.631,79.82 C531.831,79.965 532.853,80.001 541,80.001 C549.148,80.001 550.169,79.965 553.369,79.82 C556.562,79.673 558.743,79.167 560.652,78.425 C562.623,77.658 564.297,76.634 565.965,74.965 C567.633,73.296 568.659,71.625 569.425,69.651 C570.167,67.743 570.674,65.562 570.82,62.369 C570.966,59.17 571,58.147 571,50 C571,41.851 570.966,40.831 570.82,37.631\"><\/path><\/g><\/g><\/g><\/svg><\/div><div style=\"padding-top: 8px;\"> <div style=\" color:#3897f0; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:550; line-height:18px;\">View this post on Instagram<\/div><\/div><div style=\"padding: 12.5% 0;\"><\/div> <div style=\"display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;\"><div> <div style=\"background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);\"><\/div> <div style=\"background-color: #F4F4F4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;\"><\/div> <div style=\"background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);\"><\/div><\/div><div style=\"margin-left: 8px;\"> <div style=\" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;\"><\/div> <div style=\" width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg)\"><\/div><\/div><div style=\"margin-left: auto;\"> <div style=\" width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);\"><\/div> <div style=\" background-color: #F4F4F4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);\"><\/div> <div style=\" width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);\"><\/div><\/div><\/div> <div style=\"display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;\"> <div style=\" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;\"><\/div> <div style=\" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;\"><\/div><\/div><\/a><p style=\" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px; margin-bottom:0; margin-top:8px; overflow:hidden; padding:8px 0 7px; text-align:center; text-overflow:ellipsis; white-space:nowrap;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/reel\/DHFcFLFPS2M\/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading\" style=\" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px; text-decoration:none;\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">A post shared by DMARGE (@dmarge)<\/a><\/p><\/div><\/blockquote><script async src=\"\/\/platform.instagram.com\/en_US\/embeds.js\"><\/script><\/div><\/figure><p>It\u2019s not fast. 160kW and front-wheel drive. But it\u2019s smooth, intuitive, and does exactly what a family SUV should do. It swallows people and gear, it\u2019s affordable to run, and it doesn\u2019t feel like a compromise. For under $50K, nothing comes close.<\/p><h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-1-polestar-4-the-best-ev-in-australia-right-now\"><strong>#1 \u2013 Polestar 4: The Best EV in Australia Right Now<\/strong><\/h2><figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1400\" height=\"787\" src=\"https:\/\/dmarge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/Polestar-4-Review-20-1400x787.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-530779\" srcset=\"https:\/\/dmarge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/Polestar-4-Review-20-1400x787.jpg 1400w, https:\/\/dmarge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/Polestar-4-Review-20-960x540.jpg 960w, https:\/\/dmarge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/Polestar-4-Review-20-640x360.jpg 640w, https:\/\/dmarge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/Polestar-4-Review-20-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\/\/dmarge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/Polestar-4-Review-20-480x270.jpg 480w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 480px) 400px, (max-width: 640px) 600px, (max-width: 768px) 700px, (max-width: 1024px) 800px, (min-width: 1025px) 1000px, 2048px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The Polestar 4 was a clean winner in our eyes. Image: DMARGE<\/figcaption><\/figure><p>The <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/dmarge.com\/cars\/polestar-4-review\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Polestar 4 isn\u2019t just good. It\u2019s genre-defining.<\/a> This is the car that shows what EVs can be when design and engineering actually sit at the same table. It\u2019s low, wide, sculpted, and somehow manages to be sleek and aggressive without being try-hard. I really enjoyed this car. No cap.<\/p><p>You\u2019ve probably heard about the lack of a rear window. It\u2019s replaced by a high-mounted camera and full-width digital display. While that sounds like marketing nonsense, it actually improves rear visibility and adds to the spaceship feel. The cabin is minimalist but warm, full of soft recycled materials, a smart Google-powered OS, and some of the best seats you\u2019ll find in any car.<\/p>                <div class=\"row row-center collapse\">\n                    <div class=\"column\">\n                        <div class=\"dmg-ad\"><div id=\"incontent-129385047\" class=\"ad-container\"><script type=\"text\/javascript\">var load_1975661949 = function () {googletag.cmd.push(function () {var slot_1975661949 = googletag.defineSlot(\"\/1017963\/DMarge\/incontent\",[[250,250],[300,100],[300,250],[320,100],[336,280]],\"incontent-129385047\").addService(googletag.pubads()).setTargeting('refresh', 'true');if (gamData && gamData.sizeMap && gamData.sizeMap.hasOwnProperty('incontent')) {slot_1975661949.defineSizeMapping(gamData.sizeMap['incontent']);}googletag.display(\"incontent-129385047\");});};adsQueue.push(load_1975661949);<\/script><\/div><\/div>                    <\/div>\n                <\/div>\n                <p>The single-motor variant offers 200kW and a class-leading 620km of range. The dual-motor version doubles the power and drops the zero to 100 time to 3.8 seconds. If I was buying, it would be double motor all the way. And the Thor\u2019s Hammer lighting, Swedish Yellow paint, and near-silent cabin? Absolutely nailed it.<\/p><p>This is the best-looking EV in the country. It drives beautifully. And it has the tech, range and road presence to back it all up. Right now, <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.polestar.com\/au\/polestar-4\/\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">the Polestar 4 is the EV<\/a> to beat.<\/p><p>Don\u2019t forget the <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.mynrma.com.au\/open-road\/advice-and-how-to\/ev-incentives\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">ev tax credit too<\/a>. Get around it.<\/p>                <div class=\"row row-center collapse\">\n                    <div class=\"column\">\n                        <div class=\"dmg-ad\"><div id=\"incontent-1686224980\" class=\"ad-container\"><script type=\"text\/javascript\">var load_288805243 = function () {googletag.cmd.push(function () {var slot_288805243 = googletag.defineSlot(\"\/1017963\/DMarge\/incontent\",[[250,250],[300,100],[300,250],[320,100],[336,280]],\"incontent-1686224980\").addService(googletag.pubads()).setTargeting('refresh', 'true');if (gamData && gamData.sizeMap && gamData.sizeMap.hasOwnProperty('incontent')) {slot_288805243.defineSizeMapping(gamData.sizeMap['incontent']);}googletag.display(\"incontent-1686224980\");});};adsQueue.push(load_288805243);<\/script><\/div><\/div>                    <\/div>\n                <\/div>\n                <h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-honourable-mentions\"><strong>Honourable Mentions?<\/strong><\/h2><p>Mercedes-Benz is getting there with their EQ range just <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.drive.com.au\/news\/mercedes-benz-electric-g-class-deemed-a-failure-by-executives-report\/\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">not with the G-Class EV<\/a>. Shiiiiit. The <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.hyundai.com\/au\/en\/cars\/eco\/ioniq5n\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Hyundai Ioniq 5 N<\/a> is a riot, but too niche. <\/p><p>Audi EVs is cool but not selling much right now. So this top five has the broadest appeal and the strongest arguments for every buyer. Including those who said they would never drive an EV. <\/p><p>If you\u2019re thinking about going electric in 2025, don\u2019t follow the crowd. These are the cars that prove EVs don\u2019t just have to be sensible they can actually be cool.<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>We get asked every week by readers which EV we think is best bang for buck. So here it is. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":532395,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_stopmodifiedupdate":false,"_modified_date":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[1167],"tags":[],"coauthors":[146525],"class_list":{"0":"post-532390","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-cars"},"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/dmarge.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/532390","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/dmarge.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/dmarge.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dmarge.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/7"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dmarge.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=532390"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/dmarge.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/532390\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":534714,"href":"https:\/\/dmarge.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/532390\/revisions\/534714"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dmarge.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/532395"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/dmarge.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=532390"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dmarge.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=532390"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dmarge.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=532390"},{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dmarge.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/coauthors?post=532390"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}