Summary
- MG4 became Australia’s top-selling EV in October after aggressive price drop
- Sales tripled compared to September, reached nearly 1,500 units
- MG4 offers good driving experience, design, and range for lower price than competitors
- Tesla Model Y (previous leader) had over 1,000 sales in October
- Australia has seen an influx of Chinese-made EVs due to zero import tax on foreign-made electric vehicles
Article
Chinese Electric Vehicles Dominate Australian Market
An aggressive price drop instantly sent the MG4 to the top of the October EV sales charts in Australia. The price was cut to just AU$ 31,000 ($20,500) and sales tripled compared to September. Australia stopped taxing imports of foreign-made electric vehicles in 2022, encouraging Chinese carmakers to come. Chinese electric vehicles are proving popular outside the local market and are gaining ground not only in Europe but also in Australia. The MG4 became the country’s best-selling EV in October with nearly 1,500 units sold last month. The MG4 dethroned the Tesla Model Y, which managed just over 1,000 sales. In third place came the Model 3 with 422 sales, followed by the BYD Atto3 with 330 sales and the BYD Seal with 313 sales.
MG4 Electric Hatchback Review
We reviewed the MG4 electric hatchback to see what all the hype was about and had mostly good things to say about it. Our XPower test car had the top-tier dual-motor setup with 429 horsepower and could accelerate to 62 mph (100 km/h) in 3.8 seconds. The MG4 was especially popular in Australia after a price cut in late September brought it under AU$ 31,000, equivalent to just under $20,500 at current exchange rates. It instantly became a sensational deal. This was announced as an “incentive price” to drive MG4 sales and starting in November, the price climbed to AU$32,990 ($21,820), still significantly lower than the original price of AU$41,110 ($27,200).
Comparison to Other Electric Vehicles
Australia’s third best-selling EV in October, the Tesla Model 3 starting from AU$ 54,900 ($36,280), is considerably more expensive than the MG4. The MG undercuts the BYD Dolphin EV, which starts at AU$ 36,890 ($24,400), and the Fiat 500e at AU$ 52,500 ($34,700). The Great Wall Motors Ora caters to a similar market at AU$ 35,990 ($23,800) but is not as popular as the MG4, selling just 154 cars last month. The Driven notes this is the first time Tesla has been dethroned as the EV sales leader in the country, attributing that to MG’s aggressive pricing.
Australia’s Import Policy for Electric Vehicles
The customs duty for electric vehicles imported into Australia has been zero since July 2022, and there are no signs of it changing despite increased levies on Chinese EVs imposed by Australian allies like the European Union and the United States. The prospect of the local market being flooded with Chinese-made EVs doesn’t seem to concern Australia, which no longer has a home-grown automotive industry. Drive noted in May that 10 EV manufacturers from China are either present or launching cars in Australia. China is currently Australia’s third-largest source of new cars, ranking above the U.S., the European Union, and South Korea.
Future Plans for SAIC Motor
The MG4 EV is built by Chinese automaker SAIC Motor in four factories spread across Asia. The company is also looking to establish operations in Europe and Mexico. This electric hatch has been receiving praise from reviewers in Europe and Australia due to its fun driving experience, unique design, good interior, decent range, all at a very attractive price. It seems that SAIC Motors is making a significant impact in the Australian electric vehicle market with the MG4’s success.
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