With a sleek exterior, impressive spec sheet and an approximately starting price of AUD $54,000, the YU7 is a direct threat to BYD, Zeekr and Tesla.
At over 5 metres long the SUV is offered in three variants – Standard, Pro and Max.
The standard offers 235kW, 528Nm and up to 853km range (CLTC).
853km range? Battery chemistry LFP? Yes I am interested. Apparently the first production run of 200,000 cars sold out in 5 minutes! This is the spec that will be a big seller in Australia, the right price, the right range, the right format.
That price is probably just a currency conversion of the Chinese retail figure. By the time they make it right hand drive, export it, and do all the other price-increasing things they tend to do, it would probably push close to $70K. I just checked, the Tesla Model Y long range model is $74K drive away in NSW, so that's the one they are trying to undercut.
I'm somewhat disillusioned by the previously discussed Hyundai Inster. The long range model of that little go kart doesn't leave you much change from $50K... roughly double the price of a similar sized ICE. The "entry-level" MG4 has just had a price increase, the lowest-spec model is now $38K in NSW. They are supposed to be going down, not up. But "up" is the industry's established mode of success for car pricing.
With a sleek exterior, impressive spec sheet and an approximately starting price of AUD $54,000, the YU7 is a direct threat to BYD, Zeekr and Tesla.
At over 5 metres long the SUV is offered in three variants – Standard, Pro and Max.
The standard offers 235kW, 528Nm and up to 853km range (CLTC).
853km range? Battery chemistry LFP? Yes I am interested. Apparently the first production run of 200,000 cars sold out in 5 minutes! This is the spec that will be a big seller in Australia, the right price, the right range, the right format.
That price is probably just a currency conversion of the Chinese retail figure. By the time they make it right hand drive, export it, and do all the other price-increasing things they tend to do, it would probably push close to $70K. I just checked, the Tesla Model Y long range model is $74K drive away in NSW, so that's the one they are trying to undercut.
I'm somewhat disillusioned by the previously discussed Hyundai Inster. The long range model of that little go kart doesn't leave you much change from $50K... roughly double the price of a similar sized ICE. The "entry-level" MG4 has just had a price increase, the lowest-spec model is now $38K in NSW. They are supposed to be going down, not up. But "up" is the industry's established mode of success for car pricing.
Oh for sure the price won't be set until it is released in Australia, but even if it were the same price as the Tesla, quality and equipment wise it knocks it into the dust. The problem with EV's at the moment is there is no price competition to reduce prices at retail, I mean they can sell every car they make so why drop prices. The ICE industry of course has always seen competition from low priced vehicles, but even that is falling off, I mean the average US price is 15k overpriced compared to the same car in 1990 when adjusted for inflation and most of that has happened in the last 5 years.
Until someone starts manufacturing and selling basic low price point EV's that's not going to change, we have built a world based around cars where the average person needs one just to survive, that can't last forever, but as long as it lasts manufacturers can keep overpricing because they know people have to buy them. This is one of the reasons politicians and industry is so dead set against livable cities. Give people livable cities and a lot of them simply wouldn't buy cars, it's a huge unnecessary expense for them!
$800 EV's. No chance these would ever be allowed on the road over here, they can fit three abreast in a standard traffic lane, two easily into a standard parking bay, electric windows, reversing cameras, the lot, unless you want a seat belt of course, then you are out of luck!
