Quick Charge 55: EV Budget Changes, Kia’s Electric Stinger and Smarter Charging

In this Quick Charge edition of Plugged In Australia for Thursday 14 May 2026, we cover the key EV stories from Episode 55: the Federal Budget’s EV tax changes, the road-user charge being put on hold, new kerbside and regional charging funding, Kia’s possible electric Stinger successor, Mazda delaying its in-house EV, AI battery charging research, and Shell Recharge chargers joining Chargefox.

YouTube timestamps — Quick Charge

00:00 — Intro
00:37 — EV FBT tax changes explained
02:08 — Road-user charge put on hold
02:49 — New kerbside and regional charging funding
03:23 — Kia’s possible electric Stinger successor
04:06 — Mazda delays its in-house EV
04:59 — AI fast charging battery research
05:56 — Shell Recharge joins Chargefox
07:07 — Outro

Disclaimer:

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 & Transparency

At 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.au
• https://autotalk.com.au
• https://www.carsguide.com.au
• https://evcentral.com.au
• https://www.drive.com.au

Transcript

SPEAKER_00 0:00

Welcome to Plug In Australia Quick Charge, the shorter version of the show for when you want the main EV news without the full deep dive. This is Quick Charge for episode 55 for Thursday, the 14th of May, 2026. And today we're covering the federal budget changes for EV buyers, what is happening with the EV FBT exemption, why a national road user charge has been put on hold, new funding for curbside and regional charges, key as wild electric stinger style concept, Mazda delaying its own in-house EV, AI battery charging research, and shell recharge charges going onto ChargeFox. Let's get into it. Alright, the biggest story today is the federal budget. The EV fringe benefits tax exemption is being wound back, but it is not disappearing overnight. The existing full EV FBT exemption continues in full until the end of March 2027. From the 1st of April 2027, the full exemption continues only for eligible EVs costing $75,000 or less. EVs above $75,000, but still below the luxury car tax threshold move to a 25% discount on payable FBT. From the 1st of April 2027, the full exemption continues only for eligible EVs costing $75,000 or less. EVs above $75,000, but still below the luxury car tax threshold move to a 25% discount on payable FBT. Then from the 1st of April 2029, all eligible EVs below the luxury car tax threshold move to the permanent 25% FBT discount. Existing leases are not affected and eligible cars keep the discount that applied when the arrangement started for the life of the arrangement. So the key takeaway is timing. If you are looking at a higher priced EV through an evaded lease, the important date is April 2027. If you're looking at an EV at $75,000 or less, the full exemption can still apply if the arrangement starts before April 2029. That could push even more buyers toward affordable EVs, and it could also pressure car brands to keep pricing under that $75,000 line. The second budget story is the road user charge. There have been a lot of speculation that the federal government might move on a national road user charge for EVs. For now, that has not happened. The road user charge has been put on hold while the federal government keeps working with states and territories. That's good news for EV owners in the short term, but the debate is definitely not over. Governments still have a long-term problem as more people move away from petrol and diesel, fuel excise revenue becomes less reliable. But the timing and design of any future road user charge matters. If Australia eventually does this, it needs to be national, fair, simple, and not messy state-by-state EV tax. The budget also includes $40 million for curbside and regional EV charges, plus $40.5 million to help electrify Australia Post's Delivery Fleet. That is important because charging access is still one of the biggest barriers for people who cannot charge at home. If you have a garage, solar, and a war box, EV ownership can be easy. However, if you rent, live in an apartment, park on the street, or rely on public infrastructure, the experience is very different. Curbside charging is a big part of making EVs realistic for more Australians, not just people with driveways. Next, Kia could be working toward a proper electric successor to the Stinger. Kia's Vision Metaturismo concept is a wild electric performance sedan or fastback style concept, and Kia's global design boss Karim Habib has indicated the brand still wants cars with emotional appeal, not just SUVs. Reports suggest the idea is real. However, the business case and cost of a high performance EV are the big hurdles. One Kia Europe design executive has reportedly said a fastback variant is about 90% production ready. However, there is no Australian launch confirmation, no price, and no production spec as yet. Now to Mazda. Mazda has delayed its next fully in-house dedicated EV once again, pushing it out to 2029. Instead, Mazda is leaning on its partnership with Chinese car maker Chang Yang. For Australia, that means the Mazda 6E sedan and the CX6E SUV are still coming, with both confirmed for local launch in 2026. That is the nuance here. Mazda is not skipping EVs in Australia, but its next EVs here are not pure ground-up Japanese Mazda projects. They are partner developed vehicles that Mazda has to make feel like proper Mazda's. Now that could work. Mazda has a strong dealer network and a loyal customer base in Australia, but the hard truth is that by delaying its own in-house EV, Mazda is giving faster-moving brands more time to pull ahead. Researchers from Charmans University of Technology in Sweden, along with Victoria University of Wellington in New Zealand, have developed an AI-based fast charging method that could reduce battery wear without slowing down charging. The research used reinforcement learning to adapt charging current based on the battery's chemistry and state of health. In testing, the method achieved a 22.9% improvement in equivalent full cycles, while charging time stayed pretty much unchanged. 24.12 minutes compared with 24.15 minutes for conventional charging. That is promising, especially for people who fast charge often, but it is not ready for your car tomorrow. The next step is physical battery testing and calibration for different battery types. Still, it shows the battery life improvements might not come from just new chemistry, but from smarter software. Drivers can access shell recharge plugs, including ultrafast 350kW charges, through the ChargeFox app or RFID card. Without needing a separate shell recharge account, more sites are expected over the next 12 months. This is the kind of practical improvement EV drivers need. More charges matters, but easier access to charges is also important. The Australian charging experience should not require six different apps, multiple accounts, and a backup plan every time you leave your own city. Find the charger, plug it in, pay, buzz off. That just should be standard. And that's it for plugged in Australia Quick Charge. For the full deep dive, make sure you tune in to the main episode 55 where we go into the budget changes, the road user charge debate, Kia's electric stinger possibility, Mazza's EV strategy, and the charging stories in much more detail. As always, thank you so much for listening, and until the next time, stay plugged in and stay charged. Chevy the Amor.