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Guides › Best electric cars in Australia: every rankingRankings · Updated November 2026

Best electric cars in Australia: Every ranking

Quick answer

There's no single best electric car: it depends on your budget, how far you drive and what you need to fit in.

By budget

Electric cars under $40,000Every EV under $40k, ranked by cost to own · No. 1: BYD Atto 1Electric cars under $50,000Every EV under $50k, ranked by cost to own · No. 1: BYD Atto 1Electric cars under $60,000Every EV under $60k, ranked by cost to own · No. 1: BYD Atto 1Cheapest electric cars to own in AustraliaFive-year cost of every EV, cheapest firstEV running costs per weekEvery EV by weekly running cost · No. 1: Mini Cooper ElectricFBT-exempt electric carsEvery EV under the novated lease threshold · No. 1: BYD Atto 1

By type of car

Best small electric carsSmall hatches and SUVs ranked by cost · No. 1: BYD Atto 1Best family EVsSafe, roomy EVs with 400 km+ range · No. 1: Geely EX57-seater electric carsEvery 6 and 7-seat EV, plus hybrids · No. 1: Tesla Model Y LElectric utesElectric and plug-in utes, with towing · No. 1: GWM Cannon Hi4-T PHEVBest EVs for towingEVs rated to tow 1,500 kg or more · No. 1: Ford F-150 Lightning

By feature

Longest range EVsEvery EV by claimed range · No. 1: BMW iX4Fastest charging EVsEvery EV by peak fast-charging rate · No. 1: Xpeng X9EVs with V2LPower appliances and tools from the car · No. 1: BYD Atto 1EVs with LFP batteriesLong-life batteries you can charge to 100% · No. 1: BYD Atto 1

Hybrids and plug-ins

Cheapest hybrid carsEvery hybrid, cheapest to buy first · No. 1: MG3 Hybrid+Best hybrid SUVsEvery hybrid SUV ranked by cost to own · No. 1: MG ZS Hybrid+Plug-in hybridsEvery PHEV, cheapest first, with electric range · No. 1: BYD Atto 2 DM-i

How we rank

Most lists rank cars by their total cost to own over five years: the price with estimated on-road costs, a home charger for EVs, charging or fuel, servicing and tyres, driving 250 km a week in NSW. Lists about range, charging speed and towing rank by that feature. Each car appears once, at its best-value version for that list. Prices and specs are checked monthly. Re-rank everything for your own state and driving on Compare, or get three picks for your budget from Pick my car.

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Common questions

What is the best electric car in Australia?

It depends on your needs. On cost to own, the BYD Atto 1 Essential is cheapest at about $29,146 over 5 years. Use the rankings above to narrow it down by budget, size, range or towing.

What is the best EV for the money?

The one with the lowest cost to own that still fits your needs. Our under $40k, $50k and $60k lists rank every EV in each budget that way.

How often are these rankings updated?

Every month, when we check prices. These were last updated in November 2026.

More guides

More in Rankings

Electric cars under $40,000Every EV under $40k, ranked by cost to ownElectric cars under $50,000Every EV under $50k, ranked by cost to ownElectric cars under $60,000Every EV under $60k, ranked by cost to ownCheapest hybrid carsEvery hybrid, cheapest to buy firstPlug-in hybridsEvery PHEV, cheapest first, with electric rangeBest hybrid SUVsEvery hybrid SUV ranked by cost to ownLongest range EVsEvery EV by claimed rangeFastest charging EVsEvery EV by peak fast-charging rateEVs with V2LPower appliances and tools from the carEVs with LFP batteriesLong-life batteries you can charge to 100%Electric utesElectric and plug-in utes, with towingBest EVs for towingEVs rated to tow 1,500 kg or moreFBT-exempt electric carsEvery EV under the novated lease threshold7-seater electric carsEvery 6 and 7-seat EV, plus hybridsBest small electric carsSmall hatches and SUVs ranked by costBest family EVsSafe, roomy EVs with 400 km+ rangeEV running costs per weekEvery EV by weekly running cost

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How we work it out, and our sources

Weekly cost = the car's energy use × 250 km × your electricity or fuel price, with 90% of charging at home. Prices are list prices at November 2026; check with the dealer.

  • Electricity: 2026–27 default rates (AER, Victorian Default Offer, state retailers). Public charging: Sydney network prices, July 2026.
  • Petrol and diesel: capital-city daily averages from state government price feeds, via FuelRadar, 12 November 2026. Diesel for Hobart, Canberra and Darwin is estimated from the national fall.
  • Cars: maker figures via CarExpert, Drive, CarsGuide and EV Central. Plug-in electric range is taken as 80% of the claim.
  • Servicing: published capped prices; marked as an estimate where not yet published (CarExpert comparison).
  • Tyres: an EV set lasts about 35,000 km, a petrol or hybrid set 50,000 km (RACV); prices from Gridly.
  • Home charger: about $2,000 installed ($1,000–$3,000). Novated leases: PwC summary.

Printed from EV Pick Australia · evpick.com.au. Prices and costs are estimates; check with the dealer. © 2026 EV Pick (T. Crouch). For personal use only; not to be copied, republished or sold without permission.

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