Episode 65 | Deep Dive: Smaller Cadillac Batteries, Ferrari’s Forever Pack and BMW’s Electric M3

In Episode 65 of Plugged In Australia, we look at why the Cadillac Optiq and Vistiq are arriving with smaller batteries and slower DC charging than their US equivalents, Ferrari’s unusual plan to make the Luce battery repairable and upgradable for decades, and the possibility of a petrol range-extender version of the Leapmotor B05 hatch. We also cover Volvo’s next XC40 returning to an electric-first direction, the expanded NSW EV fleet funding program, and BMW’s four-motor, 800-volt M Concept Neue Klasse previewing the first full-electric M car due from 2027.

 YOUTUBE TIMESTAMPS

0:00 Intro

1:01 Cadillac explains Australia’s smaller Optiq and Vistiq batteries

10:02 Ferrari designs the Luce battery for decades of repair and upgrades

18:02 Leapmotor considers a B05 range-extender hatch

24:44 Volvo’s next XC40 could return to an electric-first platform

31:35 NSW extends and expands EV fleet funding

40:00  BMW previews the first full-electric M car

48:50 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

G'day, welcome to Plugged in Australia, episode 65 for Monday, the 15th of June 2026, and today Cadillac has explained why the Optic and Vistic coming to Australia have smaller batteries and slower, fast charging than the versions that are sold in the US. Ferrari says the battery in its first electric car has been designed so the technology inside can be replaced decades from now. Leak Motor is discussing whether the B-05 Hatch needs a petrol range extender, and Volvo is considering a much more electric focused replacement for the XC40. We also have an extended and expanded New South Wales funding program for business fleets, plus our cleanest look yet at the first full electric BMW M car. Let's get into it. The smaller Optic and much larger three-row Vistic are both coming here with batteries that have less capacity than their American equivalents. Cadillac has now explained that this is not simply a cost-cutting decision or an attempt to create extra space between the models, it is primarily the result of newer European battery safety regulations that also apply to the export specification vehicles destined for Australia. The Australian Optic uses a 75 kWh nickel manganese cobalt battery. The American model has an 85kWh pack, so the local version gives us roughly 12% of its nominal battery capacity. The difference is similar in the Vistic. Australia receives a 91 kWh battery, while the American market vehicle uses a 102 kWh pack. That's an 11 kWh reduction or just under 11%. Kalax says the reason is UNECE Regulation 100 Revision 3. The newer standard applies to newly adopted European market vehicles after September 1, 2025, and introduces updated requirements around rechargeable energy storage systems. Calax engineers say the existing American packs could not simply be carried across into those newer export approvals. So the company developed revised battery topologies and cell designs for the vehicles built to the European regulatory standard. Australia often receives vehicles homologated through the same broad regulatory pathway as Europe, particularly when they are built in right-hand drive. In this case, that means the optic and vistick we receive use the newer export market battery designs rather than the larger American packs. The existing lyric is the interesting exception. It was approved before the new requirement took place, so it continues to use a 102 kWh battery in export markets. That gives Cadillac's current Australian range an unusual hierarchy. The mid-size lyric has the largest battery and longest range, even though the Vistic is the biggest and more expensive three-row flagship. On the WLTP test cycle, the Australian Optic is rated for 425km, the Vistic for 461km, and the Lyric for 530km. Cadillac has not published directly comparable WLTP figures for the larger battery US Optic and Vistic, so we cannot honestly calculate the exact range penalty because of the small export packs. American EPA figures are measured under a different test procedure and shouldn't really be compared one-on-one for the WLTP numbers. What we can say is that all else being equal, losing around 10 or 11 kWh is meaningful. It is approximately the amount of energy many EVs need to travel, 55 to 70 km in mixed driving. The other compromise is charging speed. The Australian Optic peaks at 110 kW on a DC charger compared with up to 150 kW for the American vehicle. Cadillac says the local version can add as much as 94 km of range in about 10 minutes under suitable conditions. The Vistic is capped at 130 kW here, while the American model can reach about 190 kW. Cadillac claims the Australian Vistic can add up to 104km in 10 minutes. Those figures are not disastrous, but they are conservative for expensive new EVs launching in 2026. The optic is priced at $80,000 before on-road costs, and the Vistic Platinum is $116,000 before on-roads. At those prices, buyers will compare them with electric SUVs using much faster 800 volt charging systems. The Zika 7X, for example, is capable of several hundred kilowatts on a sufficiently powerful charger, depending on the battery version, and new arrivals from DM BMW, Hyundai Kia, Porsche and Audi are increasingly able to sustain much higher rates than 110 or 130 kW. The peak numbers are not everything, the shape of the charging curve and the time spent near that peak matter quite a bit more, however, Cadillac's export market figures are still pretty modest. There is one positive charging depot that should matter in Australia. Both vehicles support high-rate three-phase AC charging. The Optic can accept up to 22.1 kW on AC, while the Vistic also offers 22kW class capacity. That is pretty useful for workplace charging, some destination charging, and anybody who's got a suitable three-phase power at home. A lot of the premium EVs still top out 11 kW on AC, so Cadillac deserves credit where credit is due. The optic arrives in a single sport all-wheel drive specification. Its dual motors produce 224 kW and 480 Nm torque. It's 4,820mm long, 1,912mm wide, and 1644mm tall, sitting on a 2,954mm wheelbase. Maximum cargo capacity is listed at 1,603 litres with the rear seats folded. Inside the headline feature is Cadillac's 33-inch curved LED display, which combines the infotainment, the instrument functions, and is capable of a very high resolution. The Australian vehicles also get wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and unlike some North American GMEVs that have moved away from smartphone mirroring. It's a bit odd. There is a 19-speaker AKG sound system with Dolby Atmost capability, Google built-in services, massaging front seats, and the sort of bold lighting and trim treatment Cadillac is using to distinguish itself from more conservative German brands. Now the Vistic is a very different proposition. It's 5,233mm long, 2026mm wide, and 1799mm tall. Australia receives the top platinum specification with six seats using second row captain's shares rather than a three-person bench. It's a dual motor all-wheel drive system producing 459kW880Nm in its maximum performance setting. Cadillac claims 0 to 100 in about 4.2 seconds, which is pretty quick for a 3-row luxury SUV of this size. Standard equipment includes 22-inch alloys, adaptive air suspension, continuous damping control, active rear seating, a panoramic roof, plus a separate glass panel over the third row. For zone climate control, night vision, a 23 AKG audio system as well. The front seats offer heating, ventilation and massage, and maximum cargo capacity is quoted at 2271 litres with the second and third rows folded. The Distick therefore has plenty of performance and equipment to justify its flagship position. It also undercuts some similarly sized three row electric SUVs. The difficulty is that its 461km WLTP range and 130 kilowatt DC peak look merely adequate rather than class leading in 2026. Cadillac's explanation is technically credible, new battery regulations can force manufacturers to redesign packs, and a company selling relatively small volumes in right-hand drive export markets may not have the business case to certify every American configuration. However, buyers are also entitled to judge the product they are actually being offered, not the engineering reason behind it. At $80,000, the Optics 425km range is probably enough for most Australian owners, and the 22kW AC charging could make it very convenient for people with three-phase access. The question is whether premium buyers will accept a 110kW DC ceiling when much cheaper EVs now charge a lot faster. The Vistic has the stronger emotional case because there are still relatively few genuinely luxurious 6 or 7 seat EVs. Its performance is enormous, really, its cabin is lavish, and the price is competitive against the upper versions of the Kia EV9 and Hyundai Ionic 9. However, anyone doing regular interstate trips with a family will notice the difference between a 130kW charging system and the 230, 250 or even 300 plus kilowatt systems appearing elsewhere. Cadillac begins optic deliveries in the third quarter of 2026, meaning July and September, and the Vistic follows in the fourth quarter between October and December. The broader picture is that Cadillac is finally building a proper Australian range. The Lyric no longer has to carry the brand by itself, and buyers will be able to access and choose between a more compact five-seat model, the mid-size lyric, and a full-sized three-row SUV. The battery explanation answers an important question, but it does not completely remove the competitive disadvantage. Cadillac will have to win customers with pricing, design, equipment, and ownership support rather than charging speed alone. Bit of a follow-on from the last episode's story where we covered Ferrari's first electric car, the Luce, when the company explained how its adaptive traction control system can learn from the person driving it. This time the fresh detail is underneath the car, and it may be more important to long-term owners than a headline acceleration figure. Ferrari says the Luce battery has been designed so that the chassis and battery housing can remain with the car permanently, while the cell technology inside can be replaced or upgraded in the future. It's a very different philosophy from the way modern EV packs are built, in the pursuit of lower weight, lower cost, and greater structural rigidity. Some manufacturers bond cells and modules deeply into the pack, and that can be excellent for production efficiency and energy density, but it can make repairs very difficult. A fault affecting a relatively small part of the battery can sometimes lead to the replacement of an entire module, or in the worst case, the complete pack. Ferrari is taking the opposite approach for the Luce. The battery housing forms a permanent structural part of the battery, a vehicle rather, but the modules create their own internal grid and are not intended to be inseparable from the housing. The company's argument is that the car itself may be collected and maintained for several decades, long after today's exact cell and format has been manufactured. If a future owner needs a battery work in 15 or 20 years, Ferrari wants the internal technology to be replaceable with cells and modules available at the time, rather than requiring a recreation of the original 2026 pack down to every component. It is important to explain what this is not. The Luce does not have consumer battery swapping in the sense used by Neo, where the driver pulls into a station and exchanges an entire depleted pack for a charge run in a few minutes. Ferrari is talking about workshop level repairability and long-term technological replacement. The battery stays in the architecture of the car. Train technicians can replace the modules or the technology within it when required. The Luce uses a 122 kWh battery on an 800 volt architecture. Ferrari says there are 15 modules and 14 large pouch cells in each module, making 210 cells in total. 13 modules sit across the floor with another two positioned beneath the rear seats. The cells have a quoted gravimetric energy density of around 305 watt hours per kilogram at cell level. Ferrari also previously quoted a pack level density of roughly 195W per kilogram once the cooling system enclosure, structural plates, electronics and protection are included. Each pair of pouch cells shares an aluminium plate. Those plates perform several jobs. They remove heat, manage thermal expansion and contraction of pouch cells through the charge cycles, and contribute to the structure of the battery. Ferrari says the arrangement helps fuse the battery and chassis into a load-bearing system without permanently trapping the energy storage technology inside. The monitoring system is equally serious. Each module has its own controller, temperature is checked every second, and cell voltage is monitored as frequently as every millisecond. That level of data shows and allows the battery management system to identify abnormal behaviour quickly and balance performance, charging and longevity. Ferrari assembles the modules and complete packs at its e-building in Marinello. The cells are supplied to the factory, but Ferrari keeps module assembly pack integration and quality control in-house. The company compares that decision with the way it has traditionally treated engines. Even when specialist suppliers provide components, Ferrari wants control over the final system that defines the car. The long-term service plan fits the brand's ownership model. Ferrari already includes a seven-year maintenance program across its new car range. For the Luce, it has announced an eight-year warranty for major EV components, including the high voltage battery, electric axles, and a charging system. That matters because the Luce is not intended to be a disposable technology product. It is an extremely expensive Ferrari that will likely remain in collections for generations. A conventional vehicle can have an engine rebuilt, a gearbox overhauled, and fuel system paths recreated. Ferrari is effectively saying its first EV should offer a similarly repairable path rather than becoming obsolete when a particularly battery module is no longer stocked. The idea also addresses one of the most persistent misunderstandings around EVs, that the whole battery inevitably fails after eight or ten years and the car becomes about as useful as a fly screen on a submarine. Real-world battery degradation is usually much more gradual than that. Most packs lose capacity over time rather than suddenly dying, and the thermal management has improved substantially. However, repairability still matters, especially once a vehicle is out of warranty. For an ordinary mass market EV, the industry needs cheaper replacement modules, independent diagnostic capability, and sensible access to parts. Ferraris approach will not automatically make those figures affordable because anything involving a low volume super luxury car is going to be expensive. What it does demonstrate is that a structural battery does not have to mean a permanently sealed throwaway battery. The Luce itself is one of the most unusual Ferraris ever built. It's a four-door, five-seat electric model with one motor for each wheel. The combined output is a little over a thousand horsepower, depending on the measurement convention, with 0 to 100km hour in 2.5 seconds and topping out at 300km hour. Ferrari, quotes, 530km off range and the 800 volt system supports very high DC charging. It's also a heavy car by Ferrari standards at well over two tons, because a 122 kWh battery, four motors, active suspension, and a generally spacious body all add mass. Ferrari's challenge is therefore not merely to make it fast in a straight line, it has to make the car feel precise, controllable, and recognizably like a Ferrari, despite the size and weight. That is why the battery structure is so important. It's not only to store energy, it becomes part of the stiffness and the load path of the vehicle. The four motors then give Ferrari extremely fine control over torque at each wheel, while the active suspension and rear-wheel steering manage body movement and agility. For Australia, the Lucha is expected to remain an exceptionally rare car. Local timing has been discussed around 2027, and pricing will put it far beyond the mainstream EV market. However, the battery philosophy is relevant well outside Ferrari. EVs are still young enough that manufacturers are deciding what long-term ownership should look like. One path is to treat the battery as an integrated assembly that is cheap and fast to build but difficult to repair. Another is to design in access, diagnostics, and modular replacement from day one. Ferrari has the advantage of enormous margins and low production volumes, so it could spend more per car or on serviceability. Even so, the central idea is worth paying attention to. Preserve the expensive structure, replace only the technology that ages, and leave room for future cell chemistry that does not exist. That's a much more convincing version of sustainability than simply claiming an EV is environmentally friendly at the day of purchase. A car that can be maintained, repaired, and technologically refreshed for 30 to 40 years avoids the need to throw away an enormous amount of embedded material and craftsmanship. We will still need to see how Ferrari implements the replacement program in practice, what a module repair costs, and whether future upgrades are genuinely offered rather than remaining an engineering possibility. But as a design principle, a battery built around decades of ownership is one of the more intelligent ideas to come out of the ultra-luxury end of the market. Leap Motors B-05 Electric Hatch is heading to Australia in the second half of 2026, and the company is now discussing whether it should eventually receive the same petrol range extender technology offered in the C10 and B10 SUVs. The key word is discussing. Leapmotor has not approved the B-05 range extender for production. It has not confirmed on for Australia, and it has not established that enough customers actually want it. After the B-05's international media launch in Germany, Leapmotor International's European commercial leadership said a hybrid or range extended version is being considered. The company was unusually candid, admitting it's still trying to understand whether there is real demand. There is also a packaging problem. The B-05 shares important underpinnings with the B-10 SUV, but it is a lower and shorter hatchback with a much shorter nose. The B-10 has enough space ahead of the passenger compartment for a small petrol engine, generator hardware, cooling equipment, and emissions systems. Leap Motor's initial advice from China was that the B-05 did not have enough front-end space to accept the same arrangement. More recent discussions, however, suggest the idea has not been ruled out, but fitting it would require some engineering work. That could mean repackaging the front crash structure, cooling system, suspension components and ancillary hardware while still preserving cabin space and meeting European safety requirements. The reason Leap Motor is considering it is easy to understand. The B10 hybrid EV has just launched in Australia at exactly the same list price as the equivalent battery electric version, which is 3788 before on-road costs for the style and 4888 for the design. It's a 1.5 litre four-cylinder petrol engine, works as a generator rather than mechanically driving the wheels. The electric motor remains responsible for propulsion, which is why Leap Motor markets it as a hybrid EV and why it is more accurately described as a range extended vehicle. The B-10 uses an 18.8 kWh lithium-iron phosphate battery, offers 84km of WLTP electric range, and claims around 900km of combined range when the battery and fuel tank are used together. That formula has obvious appeal in Australia. Many buyers can complete the daily commute electrically, charge at home, and only run the generator on longer journeys. It also removes much of the psychological concern about sparse charging infrastructure in regional areas. However, a small hatch is a different market. The B-05 is expected to compete with cars such as the MG4, the BYD Dolphin, GWM Aura, Volkswagen ID3, and potentially the new MG2 at the lower end. Buyers in this class are highly price sensitive, and adding a petrol engine, fuel system, and emissions controls may undermine one of the B-05's main advantages, a simple, affordable electric platform. There's also a weight penalty. A range extender version must carry both an electric drivetrain and most of the hardware of a combustion vehicle. In a large SUV, that extra mass can be absorbed a little bit more easily. In a compact hatch, it can affect efficiency, handling, tire load, boot space, and cost. The battery Electric B05 already offers two useful battery sizes internationally. One version uses a 56.2 kWh pack with a quoted WLTP range of around 401 km, while the larger 67.1 kWh version is rated at approximately 482 km in European specification. The higher output design model uses a 160kW, 240Nm rear motor and reaches 100 kmh in about 6.7 seconds. DC charging reaches up to 168 kW with a claimed 30 to 8% time of around 17 minutes under suitable conditions. The car measures about 4,430mm long, 1880mm wide, with a wheelbase of 2000. Boot capacity is around 435 litres with the rear seats up and approximately 1400 litres when folded, depending on the spec. Now those dimensions put it closer to a Volkswagen Golf than a tiny city car. It should have enough cabin room to work as a primary family vehicle, particularly for buyers who do not want an SUV. Alimot has also placed a lot of emphasis on European development. The B-05 chassis program involved the Stellantis global engineering team, reflecting the increasingly close relationship between the two companies. Stellantis owns a significant stake in Leapmotor, and their joint venture handles sales and manufacturing outside of China. The relationship could become more important for Australia. Stellantis already has local distribution, parts, and dealer infrastructure through brands including Peugeot, Citron, Fiat, Jeep, and Alpha Romeo, although Leapmotor's retail arrangements are evolving separately. More importantly, European chassis tuning and homologation work should make the B-05 better suited to Australian roads than a vehicle developed only around Chinese urban conditions. The EREV discretion also highlights the strange position of plug-in powertrains in 2026. Battery electric range and charging are improving quickly, yet manufacturers are still investing heavily in range extenders because of a substantial group of buyers wants electric driving range without depending entirely on public charging. For an Australian B-05 owner with home charging, a 400 to 480km WLTP battery electric hatch should already cover almost every single normal trip. The car can begin each morning full, and a 168 kilowatt DC peak is enough for occasional longer journeys. A range extender would add complexity for a problem many owners might experience only a few times a year. On the other hand, apartment residents, regional buyers, and people doing unpredictable high mileage work may value the flexibility. If Leap Motor could produce the EREV without losing too much boot space or increase in the price, it might create a unique product. There are very few small extended range hatchbacks on the Australian market. The most honest conclusion is that the idea is interesting but a little bit premature. The B-05 battery electric model is the product actually planned for Australia in the second half of this year. Local pricing, final battery choice, and complete specification have not yet been confirmed. Leap Motor should first make sure the vehicle launches with competitive efficiency, strong safety credentials, reliable software, and proper after sale support. If the B10 hybrid EV proves there is sustained Australian demand for range extenders, not just initial curiosity, then a B05 version becomes a little bit more easier to justify. Volvo then retained the XC40 badge for the mild hybrid petrol models, while the electric version moved into the newer EX naming structure. The next generation may simplify that story, hopefully. A senior Volvo executive has indicated that the scalable electric architecture used across the company's newer products can be adapted for smaller vehicles. She stopped short of confirming a final name, launch date or production model, but the direction's pretty clear. Volvo sees a dedicated electric successor in this part of the market as increasingly logical. That does not necessarily mean the XC40 badge disappears. Volvo could use XC40 for a new mixed powertrain model, use EX40 for a dedicated EV, or choose an entirely new name. The important point is that the replacement is likely to be designed around electric propulsion rather than continuing as a converted version of a combustion platform. A clean sheet EV architecture can deliver several benefits. Without an engine bay, exhaust, transmission tunnel, or fuel tank to accommodate, designers can improve wheelbase, cabin packaging and crash structure. The battery can be integrated into the floor and the electrical system can be designed for faster charging and better thermal control from the beginning. The current EX40 is still a capable vehicle, but its routes are visible. It shares the CMA platform with combustion models and has less efficient packaging than newer dedicated EVs. And depending on the version, the Australian EX40 offers a single rear motor producing around 185 kW or dual motor all-wheel drive system producing around 300 kW. Official range is a little above 500km for some variants, but price and energy efficiency have become more difficult to defend as newer Chinese and European rivals arrive. A next generation small Volvo could inherit technology from the EX60 and the wider newer, or rather next generation, of Volvo electrical architecture. There has been some inconsistent naming around the platforms in public comments, with references to SPA2 and the newer SPA3 generation. The safe takeaway is that Volvo is developing scalable, dedicated EV systems capable of serving more than one vehicle size. The final small SUV platform has not been fully announced. The EX40 is important because it represents Volvo's next major volume EV. It is expected in Australia late in 2026, with local pricing beginning around 86.990 before on-road costs for the rear-wheel drive, that'll be the P6, and around 101.990 for the all-wheel drive P10. Depending on the version, Volvo is talking around 610 to 660 kilometers of range at launch, with a longer range P12 version to follow. Once the EX60 arrives, Volvo Australia will have a much broader electric lineup EX30, EX40, 6090, and the ES90 sedan. Company believes the EX60 alone could add close to 2,000 Australian deliveries in a full year. I think that matters because Volvo's local EV share has been moving around. Approximately 43% of Volvo sold in Australia during 2024 were fully electric, up from 12% in 2023, and that slipped to around 40% in 2025, partly because of delayed EX60 timing and constrained EX90 supply. Volvo Australia has suggested that once EX90 supply improves and EX60 volume arrives, fully electric vehicles could quickly rise above 60% of its sales and potentially head towards 75 or 80%. Globally, Volvo has softened its earlier promise to be completely electric by 2030. Its revised target is for battery electric and plug-in vehicles, cars with a charge port, to account for 90 to 100% of global sales by the end of the decade. The remaining 0 to 10% can be mild hybrids where market conditions may require them. That revision was sometimes presented as Volvo abandoning EVs, but the reality is a little bit more nuanced. The company is allowing itself to keep a small number of combustion-assisted models while still aiming an overwhelmingly large in plug-in range. In Australia, where EV adoption has accelerated sharply and reached a record 19.9% of new vehicles in May, the business case for Volvo to move faster may be stronger than in some other markets. Volvo has been trimming slower selling body styles. The Coup-like EC40 left the Australian market in 2025 after its sales fell following the arrival of the smaller and cheaper EX30. The S60 and V60 were also discontinued, leaving almost the entire local range made up of SUVs apart from the ES90 electric sedan. A new electric small SUV therefore needs to do a lot of work. Must sit above the EX30 without becoming too close in price to the EX60. It needs better rear seat and luggage space than the EX30, faster charging than the current EX40, and enough range to compete with the latest Zika, X Pen, BMW, Mercedes Benz Audi and Tesla products. The likely target is the premium compact SUV buyer who wants something easy to live with in the city but large enough for a family. In Australian terms, that means strong competition not only from traditional luxury bands, but also from well-equipped mainstream EVs priced between 50 and 75 grand. Volvo's safety and design reputation still carries a lot of weight and its Google-based infotainment system has improved over time. However, brand loyalty will not excuse mediocre charging and a large price premium. The next EX40 class vehicle has to be a genuine technical step forward. There is also an opportunity for Volvo to improve bidirectional charging support. The EX90 and newer architectures have been developed with vehicle-to-home and vehicle-to-grid capability in mind, although market availability depends on software, charges and local regulations. A smaller high-volume Volvo with properly enabled bidirectional charging could be particularly relevant in Australia as V2G programs expand. For now, there is no confirmed Australian launch date for the next XC40 or EX40 successor. The current model remains on sale, and Volvo's immediate priorities are getting the EX60 into showrooms and building EX90 supply. However, the strategic direction makes a lot of sense. The current XC40 was one of the vehicles that helped Volvo prove traditional buyers would accept the compact electric SUV. The next one was has the chance rather to be designed as an EV from the beginning rather than carrying the compromise of a platform created for petrol engines. The New South Wales government has extended its EV fleet Kickstart Funding Program and increased the total allocation from $5 million to $9 million. Applications were originally due to close on the 29th of May 2026. The new deadline is 30 November 26, unless the remaining money is committed earlier. This is not a small detail for businesses that miss the first window. Fleet replacement decisions often take months, companies need quotes, vehicle availability, electrical assessment, finance approval, and internal sign-off. Extending the program by six months gives more organisations a realistic chance to prepare a proper application rather than rushing into a purchase. However, the funding is already being used. As of 5th of June, the New South Wales government said only $2 million remained from the $9 million allocation. The programme is assessed on a first come, first served basis, so a November closing date does not mean the money will be still available in November. The scheme is designed for smaller trials and early fleet conversions. Eligible applicants can seek support for up to 15 battery electric vehicles and associated smart charging ports. For passenger vehicles and SUVs with a recommended retail price of at least 40 grand, the recal incentive is $5,000. Light commercial vehicles below $2.5 tons receive $5,000, while light commercials from $2.5 up to $3.5 tons can receive $8,000. The heavy vehicle support increases with gross vehicle mass. Vehicles above 3.5 tonnes and up to 4.5 can get 10 grand. Above 4.5 and up to 8 tonne, the amount is $15,000. Above 8 and up to $15 tonne, it is $25,000. The largest eligible category, $15 and up to $23 tonne, can get $50,000 per vehicle. That sliding scale is sensible because the upfront price, a difference between diesel and electric, generally becomes much larger as the vehicle size increases. $5,000 can materially change the lease calculation on a passenger car, but it would barely touch the premium on a heavy electric truck. $50,000 still will not erase the gap, but it may be enough to get a trial vehicle approved. Charging infrastructure is supported separately. For passenger vehicles, SUVs, and light commercial vehicles up to 3.5 tonne, AC charging support is available up to $3,000 per port. For heavy vehicles up to 4.5 tonne, the AC amount can reach $5,000. And for heavier eligible vehicles, it can reach 6,000. For DC charging up to 60 kilowatts, the program can cover 50% of eligible costs capped at $30,000 per port. For higher powered DC charging above 60 kW for eligible heavy vehicles, support can cover 50% of costs, up to $60,000 per port. An organization has to apply for a vehicle incentive before it can add the associated charging support. That prevents the program from becoming a general public charging subsidy and keeps it tied to actual vehicle fleet electrification. The basic business eligibility is reasonably broad. An applicant must hold an ABN and operate an existing fleet in New South Wales. In most cases, that means at least three existing fleet vehicles, which can be electric or non-electric. Licensed taxi operators can apply with at least one taxi, and an individual truck operator can qualify with at least one truck. The existing fleet requirement is important. The program is designed to replace or add to genuine commercial operations, not subsidise a private buyer who creates a business entity for one car. Applicants need to demonstrate that their current vehicles have been operating in the state and that the proposed EVs will perform real fleet duties. The scheme is focused on battery electric vehicles. Businesses need to check the detailed guidelines and addendum for model eligibility, purchase timing, ownership structure, and evidence requirements before committing to an order. The government also requires the funding deed and evidence process to be completed correctly. This is not an instant dealership rebate. From a business perspective, the most valuable feature may be the combination of vehicle and charging support. The price of an electric van or truck is only one part of the decision. A depot may need switchboard upgrades, new cable runs, load management bollards, civil works, and a new electricity tariff. Those costs can stop a trial before the first vehicle is even ordered. A properly sized AC system is often enough for passenger fleets and vans that return to base overnight. A 7, 11, or 22kW charger can replace a full days of driving, long dwell period without the expense or demand charges associated with high-powered DC equipment. For heavy trucks or vehicles running multiple shifts, DC may be a necessity. A 60 kW charger can add roughly 60 kW in an hour before losses, which may be useful during loading or a driver break. Higher powered equipment costs much more and may require major grid work, which is why the program often offers a larger cap for heavy vehicle DC ports. The commercial case still has to stand up on its own. Funding should not be used to hide an unsuitable duty cycle. Businesses need to know daily kilometres, payload, towing, route elevation, idle time, a depot dwell time, electricity costs, and what happens on the busiest day of the year, not just the average day. For a passenger or light van fleet, the numbers can be pretty compelling. When vehicles travel high annual kilometres and charge at a depot, electricity can be much cheaper per kilometre than diesel or petrol. Scheduled maintenance is generally simpler, and regenerative braking reduces friction breakwear in urban work. For trucks, the calculation is more complicated but potentially more valuable. Fuel is a major operating cost, and electric drivetrains can deliver substantial savings when the route is predictable and depot energy is well managed. They can also reduce noise, vibration, and driver fatigue. The challenge is capital cost, payload, charging time and vehicle availability. The New South Wales scheme is therefore best viewed as a tool to de-risk a real-world trial. A business can place several EVs into normal service, install the charging required, collect data, and then decide whether the next shade should be larger. The remaining $2 billion figure also tells us demand has been strong. More than three-quarters of the enlarged allocation had already been committed or earmarked by early June. Organisations interested in applying should not treat this as a grant. They can think about later on in the year. Fleet incentives often deliver more kilometres on electric driving per public dollar than private buyer rebates because commercial vehicles tend to travel further. A delivery van doing 40,000 kilometres a year displaces much more fuel than a private car doing 10,000. Fleet purchases also feed the used market after three or four years. They can put relatively young EVs into the hands of households and smaller businesses at lower prices, helping adoption without a permanent new car subsidy. The truth of the matter is though that government funding alone cannot fix the shortage of electric utes, larger trucks and trucks available in Australia. Manufacturers still need to bring suitable vehicles here, carry parts, train technicians, and provide realistic warranties. Electricity networks also need to process commercial connections quickly enough that the charger is ready when the vehicle arrives. But extending the application period and lifting the allocation to $9 million is a practical step. It gives New South Wales businesses more time and a larger pool of support while still requiring them to put forward a real operational case. Also, just keep in mind I uh I know someone that's utilized this um incentive uh in the past over the last 12 months, and every single one that was approved last year, I believe, has been audited. Every single one. Um not randomly, every single one has been externally audited where they collect all the data and clarify um all of it. So anybody who thinks they can kind of uh skirt around and maybe you know pull the wool over the eyes and get it approved. Well, getting approved is fantastic, but they will come and check. They'll come and check the car, they come and look at the charger, make sure it's been installed, make sure you haven't just bought it and then flogged it off on marketplace, you know, that sort of thing. So keep that in mind that uh the New South Wales government ain't mucking around with this one. BMW has unveiled the M concept Newer Klasa at the 24-hour Le Mans, giving us the clearest preview yet of the full electric BMW M car due in 2027. BMW has not officially called the concept an electric M3 and it has not confirmed the production badge. However, the size, four-door performance sedan shape, and the relationship to the new electric i3 make the intention pretty obvious. This is the electric counterpart to the M3, even if BMW eventually chooses a different name. The production vehicle will not replace the petrol M3 immediately. BMW has confirmed that combustion and electric high performance models will coexist, including a new generation six-cylinder M3. That is an important point because the company is not asking every traditional M buyer to accept the same powertrain. It is creating two different interpretations of the performance sedan. The electric version is technically ambitious. BMW ME drive uses four electric motors, one for each wheel, rather than relying only on braking intervention or a mechanical differential. The central control system can alter positive and negative torque at each wheel individually. BMW calls the main controller the heart of joy, while the M-specific layer is dynamic performance control. The system integrates the motors, regenerative braking, and chassis responses so that traction, rotation and stability can be adjusted almost instantly. That should allow several very different personalities. In full traction operation, all four motors can maximize acceleration and cornered exit grip. BMW has also discussed the ability to disconnect or reduce the contribution of the front axle, creating a rear drive bias mode for efficiency or more traditional M handling. Four motors do not automatically guarantee a good driver's car. They add weight, cost and thermal complexity, and poor calibration can make an EV feel artificial. The advantage is control resolution. BMW can decide exactly how much torque each tire receives rather than asking one motor and a differential to split it mechanically. Now BMW has not published a final production power figure. Some reports have discussed test systems capable of close to 1,000 kW. However, that should not be treated as confirmed output of the road car. The company has only said the system is designed for very high performance and track use. A production figure above 500 kW appears entirely plausible, and BMW has room to create several versions over time. But the final number, acceleration, and top speed remain unconfirmed. The battery is confirmed to exceed 100 kWh. It uses an M-specific version of BMW's sixth generation cylindrical cells and an 800 volt architecture. The pack is structurally integrated between the front and rear axles. BMW says that improves stiffness and helps connect the major chassis load paths, while the M-specific cell and cooling design is intended to deliver high power repeatedly rather than only just for one launch control. That repeated performance requirement is what separates a proper M car from an ordinary fast EV. Many electric cars can produce a spectacular 0-100 number when the battery is full and cool. A track focused model needs to accelerate, brake, regenerate, and charge lap after lap without rapidly reducing output. It reminds me of the Ferrari, I think it was a 360 Medina, with its single clutch automatic transmission, where it actually limited you to how many launches you could do because it would rip the clutch to shreds. It's uh just yeah, just not really the same, but you know, you are limited to what you can do. So anyway, a little bit of a weird tidbit there. The 800 volt system should also provide strong charging performance. BMW has not confirmed the MCAR's peak DC rate. However, the wider and newer class of technology is designed around much faster charging and lower electrical losses than the company's current 400 volt EVs. The concept's design is deliberately aggressive without returning to the initial Enormous vertical grille used on the current M3 and M4. A forward leaning shark nose combines the headlights and kidney elements into one horizontal graphic. Yellow lighting references BMW's endurance racing cars, while a trimarine shaped bumper, front splitter, and large V-shaped bonnet outlet manage airflow. White arches and a muscular shoulder line create the stance expected from an M car, the mirrors have M colour detailing, and the body uses natural fibre composite elements in places traditionally occupied by carbon fibre. And at the rear, BMW uses four track light elements, a floating diffuser, and a pronounced ducktail spoiler. The spoiler is not there only for styling, BMW says it contributes rear axle down force. The concept is finished in Monza Red, which is far more dramatic than the subdued beige and grey colours used on some earlier newer class of concepts. That's pretty intentional. BMW wants the M version to look emotional and slightly confrontational rather than merely efficient. Inside are four individual bucket seats with structural components made from natural fibre material. Bath blue and berry red merino leather references traditional BMW M colours, and the seats use red five-point harnesses in the concept. Black numbuck appears on the steering wheel, doors and roll bars, while the floating dashboard is covered in a knitted material with black lit hexagonal graphics. Red accents highlight the selector, steering wheel paddles and digital display. Those paddles are interesting because the EV does not need a conventional multi-speed gearbox. BMW has been developing simulated gear changes and sound profiles to add driver involvement, similar in principle to the Hyundai Ionic 5, but tuned around BMW's M-owned character. Whether enthusiasts see this as a clever or fake will depend on the execution. The Ionic 5N proved that simulated shifts can be useful on a circuit because they give the driver audible and physical reference points. They also make speed easier to judge without staring at the display. BMW has decades of experience tuning engine response and gearboxes, so it has a good chance of making the feature feel purposeful rather than like a video game gimmick. The production MEV will sit above the new electric BMW i3 sedan, the second regular production model of the newer class of generation after the iX3. The standard i350X drive has already been announced with 345 kW and 645 Nm of torque from two motors. The M version's full motor system, large performance envelope, and more serious cooling will move it into a completely different category. BMW says the first full electric and newer class of M models arrive from 2027. Australian timing has not been confirmed, but this country is an important M market and receives a broad range of BMW's high performance products. A local launch after the initial European rollout is highly likely, although price and exact timing remain unknown. Expect it to be expensive. The current M3 is already a six-figure car, and a quad motor EV with a battery above 100 kilowatts, specialised chassis hardware and a high level of interior technology will not be cheap. It may sit closer to the upper end of the M3 and M5 range than to the regular i3. The weight question will be unavoidable. A large battery and four motors could push the car well beyond two tons. BMW solution is not to pretend the mass does not exist, but to use structural integration. Low-manned weight, individual wheel torque, control and very fast chassis electronics to manage it. That can work, but physics still matter. More mass increases tyre load, brake energy and heat. The final car needs enough range for daily use without carrying more battery than necessary, and it needs to deliver consistent track performance without destroying tires after a few laps. The concept suggests BMW understands the challenge. It is not simply putting an M badge on an i3 with more power. For EV enthusiasts, this is one of the most important performance car developments of the next two years. Tesla demonstrated the straight line potential of electric sedans. Hyundai's showed simulated gears can add genuine engagement, and now BMW M is preparing its answer. The final test will not be whether it wins a horsepower contest, it will be whether it feels adjustable, communicative, and rewarding at normal road speeds as well as brutally fast on a circuit. If BMW gets that right, the electric M car will not need to imitate the Petrol M3, it becomes a new branch of the M family with its own strengths, instant torque, individual wheel control, huge regenerative capability, and a chassis computer responding faster than any mechanical differential. And that's it for episode 65 of Plugged in Australia, Monday, June the 15th, 2026. Cadillac's regulatory explanation does make sense, but Australian buyers still have to decide whether the Optic and Vistic offer enough range and charging performance for their prices. Ferrari Story, the repairable battery design, is a very strong idea for long-term ownership, and Leap Motors V05 range extender remains only a possibility, even though I really do think it's not necessary. Envolvo's next compact SUV has the chance to correct the compromises of the current mixed platform. Thank you very much for your time. Thank you for listening. Any feedback info at pluggedinastralia.com.au. And we'll be back with more Australian electric vehicle news in the new episode. And until then, stay plugged in and stay charged. Chevy Dammo.