The 10 cheapest EVs in Australia

Australians in the market for an affordable new electric vehicle (EV) are truly spoilt for choice in 2025.

There are more budget options than ever before, with new Chinese auto brands flooding the market and legacy carmakers responding by slashing prices on established models.

We published a story on Australia’s cheapest EVs a few months ago, but lot’s has happened since then. Prices are down across the board, and the MG 4 has lost top spot.

As such, it’s a perfect time to revisit the 10 cheapest new EVs currently on sale in Australia.

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For the sake of continuity, we’ve ranked them using drive-away pricing for Victorian private buyers. This is because only some brands offer drive-away pricing.

It’s worth noting we’re only taking into the account the initial purchase cost. Ongoing costs such as charging, service costs, and insurance, among others, haven’t been considered.

Click on a car’s name in the table above to jump directly to its information on this page, or keep scrolling for the full article.

BYD Dolphin

In announcing a new Essential range of back-to-basics EVs, BYD made its play to be the value leader in the Australian market. At the forefront of the brand’s new strategy is the Dolphin Essential, the cheapest EV in the land.

The small hatchback now opens at $29,990 before on-road costs, making it the only sub-$30k electric vehicle available Down Under, while the top-spec Premium wears a price tag of $36,990 plus on-roads.

Launched as a replacement for the defunct Dolphin Dynamic, the Essential loses features like a panoramic sunroof, heated seats and a wireless phone charger.

BYD has also pared back the exterior paint choices for the Dolphin as part of the latest range restructure. Shades of pink, purple and blue have been dropped, leaving just grey and white.

BUY: Get in touch with a dealer about a BYD Dolphin
MORE: Everything BYD Dolphin

GWM Ora

Discounts on the base GWM Ora hatch have been extended into 2025, ensuring that the curvy little EV remains one of the cheapest options around.

The range opens at $33,990 drive-away for the Ora Standard Range, and extends to $41,990 drive-away for the sporty-looking Ora GT.

GWM amassed 1125 Ora sales in 2024, an increase of 133 per cent over the previous year.

BUY: Get in touch with a dealer about a GWM Ora
MORE: Everything GWM Ora

MG 4

A flurry of price cuts over recent months has seen the MG 4 drop from first to third in the cheapest EV rankings.

That didn’t slow down the stream of sales though, as 6934 deliveries were recorded in 2024, including 607 in December.

Promotional for the entry-level MG 4 Excite 51 expired late last year, upping the starting price from $30,990 drive-away to $34,990 drive-away.

MG currently offers a wide of MG 4 variants, including the mid-range Excite 64, Essence 64, Long Range 77, and flagship high-performance XPower, which is currently priced from $55,990 before on-roads.

BUY: Get in touch with a dealer about an MG 4
MORE: Everything MG 4

Nissan Leaf

The current-generation Nissan Leaf has reached the end of the line, with remaining stock priced to sell at $34,990 drive-away.

Once a trailblazer for electric vehicles in Australia, the Leaf is a slow seller in the current climate with just 357 buyers taking the plunge last year.

With roots dating back to 2017, the Leaf is one of the few EVs still on sale in Australia to have a CHAdeMO charge point for DC fast-charging. It has a Type 2 port for AC charging.

A replacement is in the works, although it’s unlikely to arrive in Australia until 2027.

BUY: Get in touch with a dealer about a Nissan Leaf
MORE: Everything Nissan Leaf

Chery Omoda E5

Like many of the models on this list, the Chery Omoda E5 is currently subject to limited-time discounts that sweeten the deal significantly.

Chery is offering a $6000 bonus for buyers of the electric SUV and it’s yet to announce an end date, only saying the bonus is available for a limited time.

This means the Omoda E5 BX now starts from $36,990 before on-road costs rather than its regular $42,990 list price. The Omoda E5 EX meanwhile has dropped to $39,990 before on-road costs.

Both variants are powered by a single, front-mounted electric motor producing 150kW and 340Nm. This is fed by a 61.1kWh lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery that allows for a WLTP claimed range of 430km.

BUY: Get in touch with a dealer about a Chery Omoda 5
MORE: Everything Chery Omoda 5

BYD Atto 3

The BYD Atto 3 is now more affordable than ever before with the introduction of a new entry-level Essential variant, starting at $39,990 before on-road costs.

Essential versions feature the same 49.92kWh Blade battery of last year’s Standard Range model, but lose some features – like a panoramic sunroof and wireless phone charger – to bring the cost of entry down. The Atto 3 range mid-sized electric SUV previously opened at $44,499 before on-road costs.

The Extended Range variant has also received a $2509 price cut, though it hasn’t lost any features.

BYD’s new Essential offerings were due to arrive in March, however, industrial action at Australian ports could affect this timing.

BUY: Get in touch with a dealer about a BYD Atto 3
MORE: Everything BYD Atto 3

MG ZS EV

Once upon a time the MG ZS EV was Australia’s cheapest EV, but now it’s not even the cheapest electric SUV.

Based on Victorian pricing, the ZS EV range currently starts at $45,428 drive-away for the Excite, more than both the Chery Omoda E5 and BYD Atto 3.

That could be set to change soon though, as a replacement for the ZS EV – coined the S5 – is set to arrive in the first half of 2025.

Unlike the front-wheel drive MG ZS it replaces, drive is sent to the S5’s rear wheels only, through a 125kW/250Nm electric motor identical to that found in the MG 4.

BUY: Get in touch with a dealer about a MG ZS EV
MORE: Everything MG ZS EV

Leapmotor C10

Leapmotor C10 sales have kicked off in Australia, launching the young brand Down Under. And while the carmaker only landed a precious couple of months ago, deals are already available on its debut model.

New and demonstrator 2024 build C10 examples in Pearl White are being offered for $47,500 drive-away until the end of March – a decent discount on the $45,888 before on-road costs asked for 2025-plated base models.

This all-new battery-powered mid-sized SUV is a key rival for the likes of the top-selling Tesla Model Y and the new Kia EV5, as well as other fresh entrants from China like the Deepal S07 and Xpeng G6.

The Leapmotor C10 range is powered by a single rear-mounted electric motor producing 160kW of power and 320Nm of torque. This is fed by a 69.9kWh lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery pack.

BUY: Get in touch with a dealer about a Leapmotor C10
MORE: Everything Leapmotor C10

BYD Seal

The BYD Seal remains the cheapest electric sedan currently on sale in Australia, undercutting the Tesla Model 3 by over $10,000.

Prices have been cut by between $2808 and $3758 for 2025, depending on the variant. The range now kicks off at $46,990 before on-road costs for the Seal Dynamic, while the flagship Seal Performance retails for $61,990 plus on-roads.

All variants now come with an electric sunshade for the panoramic glass roof.

Last year, the Seal was BYD’s best-selling vehicle in Australia – 5308 examples were sold, despite a general shift in demand away from sedans.

BUY: Get in touch with a dealer about a BYD Seal
MORE: Everything BYD Seal

Fiat 500e

The smallest car on this list is only the 10th cheapest, with the Fiat 500e currently starting at $49,990 drive-away.

Positioned as a rival to the likes of the Mini Cooper Electric, BYD Dolphin, GWM Ora, and MG 4, the 500e is a tiny electric city hatch weighing under 1300kg.

It’s been a slow seller in Australia – just 527 Fiat and Abarth vehicles were sold last year including petrol variants, representing a 30 per cent drop on 2023 sales.

Stellantis halted global production of the 500e for an extended period in 2024, when the carmaker cited “weak orders” as the reason for the suspension.

BUY: Get in touch with a dealer about a Fiat 500e
MORE: Everything Fiat 500e