Quick Charge 56: Subaru’s EV Price Cuts, BYD’s Big Push and Xpeng X9 Nears Australia

Quick Charge 56 covers the biggest Australian EV stories from Episode 56: Subaru’s new Uncharted and EV price cuts, Volkswagen’s ID. Polo GTI, BYD’s wave of new plug-in hybrid and electric models, Xpeng’s X9 people mover, Renault’s Master E-Tech electric van, Mercedes-Benz’s electric CLA, and the growing debate around EV access for renters and lower-income households.

Timestamps — Quick Charge

00:00 — Intro
00:40 — Subaru Uncharted and EV price cuts
02:11 — Volkswagen ID. Polo GTI
03:00 — BYD Ti7 and Atto 2 DM-i
04:29 — Xpeng X9 electric people mover
05:26 — BYD M9 and V9
06:19 — Renault Master E-Tech
06:56 — Mercedes CLA electric and Audi A2 e-tron
07:56 — EV access for renters and lower-income households
08:44 — 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 Plugged 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 56, Monday, the 18th of May 2026. Today Subaru prices its uncharted electric SUV and cuts pricing on the Soltera and Trailseeker. BYD looks ready to flood more segments with plug-in hybrids and EVs. XPeng's X9 Electric People Mover gets closer to Australia. Renault prices the Master ETEC van. Mercedes confirms electric CLA pricing. And we look at why EV access for renters and low-income households is becoming one of the next big issues. Let's get into it. It sits below the Soltera now from $61.990 and the incoming Trailseeker now from $63.990. The Uncharted uses a 74.7 kWh CATL battery with a claimed 522km of WLTP range. It supports 150kW DC charging with a claimed 10-80% recharge in about 30 minutes. And it also gets 22kWAC charging. Australia only gets the dual motor all-wheel drive version with 252kW and 438 Nm of torque, and a claimed 0-100 time of about 5 seconds. Inside it gets a 14-inch touchscreen, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, built-in navigation, dual wireless phone charges, heated seats front and rear, a Harman card and sound system, and a digital review mirror, power towel gate and 100,500 watt vehicle to load capability. But the biggest story is Subaru's pricing reset. The Soltera is down by $2,000 and the Trail Seeker has been cut by $4,000 before it even launches. That tells you how competitive Australia's EV market has become. Subaru knows it needs sharper pricing if it wants to be taken seriously against Toyota, Tesla, BYD, Hyundai, and Kia. Next, Volkswagen has revealed the ID Polo GTI, taking the famous GTI badge into the electric era. It uses a front-mounted motor producing 166 kW and 200Nm with a claimed 0 to 100 time of 6.8 seconds. It has a 52kWh usable battery, expect WLTP range of up to 424km and DC charging up to 105 kW. There's also talk of a hotter ID Polo GTI Club Sport tipped to make around 210kW and bring virtual gear shifts, a more aggressive chassis tune, and more driver engagement. Australian availability has yet to be confirmed, but if Volkswagen can make the price work, this could genuinely be an interesting electric hot hatch. Alright, now over to BYD, and there's a lot going on. The BYD TI7 is understood to be heading for Australia. It's a large five-seat SUV, bigger than a Hyundai Santa Fe, and could come here as either a BYD or possibly under Denza. Overseas it is offered as both a plug-in hybrid and a full EV. The plug-in hybrid version uses a 1.5 litre turbo petrol engine with electric motors and battery options up to 35.6 kWh, while the EV version can be had with a battery size up to 105kWh and a claimed CLTC range of up to 755km. The all-wheel drive EV version can do 0 to 100km in 4.5 seconds. BYD is also expected to bring the Ado 2 DMI plug-in hybrid to Australia. This could be a really important car because it may become Australia's cheapest plug-in hybrid. The electric ADO2 already starts from 31990 before on roads, and overseas the plug-in hybrid sits below the EV. That suggests an Australian Ado 2 DMI could potentially start under 30 grand before on roads. In the UK, the higher grade Ado 2DM gets a 18kWh LFP battery and 89km of WLTP range. If BYD brings that version here at the right price, it could be a very strong option for buyers who want EV style daily driving but still want petrol backup for the longer trips. XPeng is also getting ready to expand in Australia with the X9, a large electric people mover. The X9 has appeared in Australian approval filings, and XPeng is expected to announce pricing and specs before the end of June. It measures more than 5.3 meters long, has 7 seats and will be offered in front-wheel drive and all-wheel drive versions. Overseas battery sizes include around 94.8 kWh and 110 kWh. And the X9 runs an 800 volt architecture with extremely fast charging capability. Some overseas versions claim 20 to 80% charging in as little as 10 minutes on suitable hardware. It also has up to 8 kW vehicle to load, sliding doors, luxury second row seating, big screens, and a very premium people mover layout. The big question will be price because Australia's People Mover segment is still dominated by the Kir Carnival, while the premium electric end is only just getting started. BYD is also preparing two other important vehicles. The BYD M9 plugin hybrid People Mover has appeared in Australian approval documents. It is known as the Xi'A in China and it could give BYD a family-focused sliding door rival to the Kirnival. It measures about 5.15 meters long, uses a plug-in hybrid system with a 1.5 litre turbo petrol engine and electric motor. And overseas versions offer battery packs up to 36.6 kWh. Then there is the BYD V9, a massive electric van, it is nearly 7 meters long, has a 150kW rear motor, a 1300k payload, and a 1.5 tonne brake towing capacity. And this is what's listed in the approval documents. It could compete with the 4D Transit, Mercedes-Benz E Sprinter, and the Renault Master ETEC. Speaking of Renault, the Master ETEC has now been priced for Australia. It starts from $77.990 before on road costs for the mid-wheelbase version and $79.990 for the long wheelbase version. It uses an 87 kWh battery, has a claimed 409km WLTP range, and supports DC charging up to 130 kW. Payload is between 1084 and 1164 km, so it carries less than the diesel master, but for fleets with predictable routes and depot charging, the numbers could still work. Mercedes-Benz has confirmed two electric CLA variants for Australia. The CLA 200 electric starts from 72200 before on roads with a 58kWh LFP battery, 470km of WLTP range, and 165 kW of power. The CLA3504 Matic Electric starts from 91,300 with an 85 kWh battery, 260 kW of power, and up to 663 km of WLTP range. Both use 800 volt architecture and support DC fast charging up to 320 kW. Audi is also evaluating the upcoming A2 Etron for Australia. It has not been fully revealed as yet, but it could become Audi's compact entry level EV. Locally using Volkswagen Group's MEB platform. If Audi can keep it under key pricing thresholds and make it work with innovative lease incentives, it could be useful premium small SUV. And finally the policy side. Arguing that the people most exposed to petrol prices are often the least able to buy a new electric car. At the same time, Rewiring Australia is pushing for renters to be included in the electrification transition. That includes better rental energy standards, portable solder, efficient appliances, and eventually better access to vehicle-to-home or vehicle-to-grid technology. That matters because EVs are becoming more than cars. They are big batteries on wheels. Homeowners with solar and garages will get the benefit first unless governments and industry work out how renters, apartment dwellers, and low-income households can access the same savings. And that's it for Quick Charge Episode 56. For the full episode, we go deeper on Subaru's pricing reset, BYD's expanding Australian lineup, XPang's X9, Renault's electric van strategy, and what all of this means for us Australian buyers. As always, thank you very much for listening, and until the next time, stay plugged in and stay charged. Chevy the Ammo.