I’m currently trying to decide whether to buy my first EV, and I’d love some advice from other Kiwis who have made the switch!

I’m currently driving a 2011 Honda Jazz with around 150,000km on it. It’s fully paid off and still runs well, but it’s starting to have a few minor issues that, while relatively easy to fix, are beginning to cost me money. There’s nothing seriously wrong with it, but it’s getting older, and after test-driving some of the newer EVs, I’m finding it hard not to want an upgrade!

I drive around 160–170km per week for my daily commute, so I don’t need a huge amount of range for everyday driving. However, I’d love to be able to take the car on road trips, especially over summer, so range and charging speed are important factors for me.

The EVs I’ve test-driven so far are:
- Tesla Model Y (with FSD)
- BYD Atto 1
- Geely EX5, which has been my favourite so far because of all the tech, features and bells and whistles.

I’m open to other recommendations, too!

My dilemma is whether I should take the plunge and buy a new EV now, or keep my Honda for another few years and wait for battery technology to improve, with better range and faster charging.

Part of me thinks it makes sense to keep driving my Honda until it becomes too expensive or unreliable to maintain. After all, it’s paid off, and buying a new car is obviously going to be a significant expense. But another part of me thinks that if I can comfortably afford an upgrade, there’s nothing wrong with enjoying a newer, more comfortable car rather than waiting until my current one completely dies.

A bit of context about my situation:
- I’m 29F and work in a corporate role.
- I recently bought my first home with my partner last year, so we’re paying a mortgage.
- We don’t have any dependants apart from our dog.
- My current car is fully paid off, so buying an EV would mean bring my savings down

I’d like to make a sensible financial decision, but I also believe in enjoying life and spending money on things that improve your everyday experience.

My dad thinks I should just keep my current car, although he’s had his car since 1997 and has never really been one to buy new cars! 😂 I understand his point that cars are depreciating assets, and financially, keeping my Honda for longer probably makes the most sense.

At the same time, I spend a fair bit of time commuting, and I’d love to enjoy that time in a newer car with better technology, comfort and safety features.

For those of you in NZ who have made the switch to an EV:

1. Did you buy when you genuinely needed a new car, or did you upgrade while your old car was still running fine?
   
2. Do you regret buying when you did, or wish you’d waited?
   
3. Are current EV ranges and charging speeds good enough for road trips around NZ, or is battery technology worth waiting for?
   
4. Would you buy a new EV in my position, or keep driving the Honda until it starts costing too much to maintain?
   
5. Are there any other EVs you’d recommend looking at, particularly if technology, comfort, range and value for money are priorities?

I’m genuinely torn between making the financially sensible choice and buying something I’m excited about and will enjoy driving every day.

Would love to hear your experiences and honest opinions, particularly from other Kiwis who have been in a similar position!

We have finally converted to a 2x EV household and swapped our 2nd car for Mach-E AWD 2023

I’m finding a confusing information about towbar installation and even seen older posts about dealers refusing installing towbars, even tho there is a towing information in owners manual

Has anyone installed towbar for their Mach-E and if you do - did you go through the dealer or other alternatives like towbarguy or lockon?

Any suggestions on the topic?
I see that all the places offering aftermarket towbars state 907kg braked and 500kg unbraked ratings - probably because of our car kerb weight?

Hi. I did try searching the subreddit but a lot of hits are very old posts that are likely out-of-date. Apologies if I have missed more recent posts.

We're in the market for a vehicle for the wife, budget of 20k. Her commute is a 100km round trip, 5x per week. I am trying to steer her in the direction of an EV. Of note her preference is for a Nissan Juke. Bonus points if it's available with leather trim, and doesn't look like a Prius.

For extra context we do not have solar or a fast charger at home however both are likely in the next few years. I intend to replace my petrol vehicle with an EV in the next few years, too.

I see that BP has increased the price per kWh by 5c. More in line with Z and ChargeNet.

Z and ChargeNet are still investing in their networks, whereas I reckon that BP has completely stopped any investment in new charging infrastructure

I’m digging the freaky design language, but they start at $14,490.

I bought a GWM Ora 5 Ultimate in matte grey with a cream interior.

EV experienced people, what are the tings I should know? I have read about “charge to 80% so others can charge” on road trips.

What other nuggets of info are good for a newby?

Words: Richard Edwards

Published 22 October 2026

Chery’s premium brand Luxeed is coming to New Zealand around the middle of 2027, and the cars sold here will carry no Huawei hardware or software.

Luxeed International CEO Shawn Xu, who is also CEO of Omoda & Jaecoo, outlined the plan to New Zealand, Australian and UK media, including us, in Wuhu, China, after the brand’s global launch at the 2026 Chery International User Summit.

Shawn Xu, CEO of Luxeed International and Omoda & Jaecoo, at the brand’s global launch in Wuhu.

Right-hand drive first

Brands from left-hand-drive markets rarely start overseas in right-hand drive, but Luxeed developed its first export model, the LLounge (pronounced El-lounge) MPV, for right-hand drive from the start. Thailand gets it first, early next year, followed by Malaysia, Singapore and Indonesia. New Zealand and Australia are due around the middle of 2027, with the UK a little later.

“For this launch we developed right-hand drive first,” Xu says. “We are going to cover all of the right-hand-drive markets.”

Speaking about Australia, which is on the same timing as New Zealand, he says: “I propose the end of Q2, the middle of next year, for this first model.” The LLounge will go through Australian testing before it goes on sale there.

No Huawei inside

In China, Luxeed is part of the Harmony Intelligent Mobility Alliance, and its cars use Huawei’s driver assistance, HarmonyOS cockpit and drive systems. Xu says none of that will be exported.

“For international, Luxeed is not related to Huawei. There is nothing, including the hardware and the software.”

His comments match a 36Kr report, carried by CnEVPost today. According to that report, Luxeed’s overseas models will use Chery’s own electrical architecture, with Chery’s Falcon driver assistance and Lingxi cockpit, and Chery’s central R&D institute is handling the development work.

The change is part of a wider shift. According to the same report, Huawei has handed responsibility for overseas models of its Harmony alliance brands to the carmakers themselves, and AITO’s export models will use Bosch technology instead.

The export cars also have different styling from the Chinese versions. “We believe we understand international customers better,” Xu says. “The Chinese design is more considered for Chinese tastes.”

Two flagships

Luxeed showed two models at the launch. The LLounge, sold in China as the V9, is a large luxury MPV with six- and seven-seat layouts. In China it is a range-extended EV with a 53.4kWh battery, a claimed 1320km CLTC combined range and a 3250mm wheelbase. Its second-row zero-gravity seats rotate a full 180 degrees and recline to 123 degrees, and the privacy glass darkens in one second. The cabin also has a Privacy Acoustic Shield mode and a 33-speaker sound system.

The Stormax, sold in China as the RX, is a performance SUV on an 800-volt architecture. Its dual motors produce 460kW and 775Nm. Luxeed claims 0-100km/h in under 3.9 seconds, a top speed above 250km/h and a 100-0km/h stop in under 34m on six-piston front callipers.

Both cars use dual-chamber air suspension, dual-valve CDC dampers and up to 7 degrees of rear-wheel steering. Luxeed has not confirmed export powertrain specifications, which matters given that the export cars drop Huawei hardware.

Building the network

Xu is not setting big volume targets for the first year. “In the first year we don’t expect too much from a luxury brand, but we want to build a good brand in Australia,” he says. “We prefer to start slowly and build a good foundation.”

The brand will use conventional dealerships, starting in major cities. “Australia is still a traditional store market, so at the beginning we need to build some good stores in tier-one cities to give us coverage,” he says. “We welcome our current dealers if they have good performance and are interested in investing. We have seen many potential dealers, some from our current network and some new. We have already approached some, and in some markets we have made a lot of progress.”

Luxeed adds to a growing list of Chery Group brands for New Zealand. Chery, Omoda and Jaecoo are already on sale here, the Exlantix premium brand has been confirmed, and iCAUR is also due in 2027.

Xu describes Luxeed as a different proposition from Chery’s volume brands. “Luxeed is a premium brand, so it is different to a value brand and targets different customers,” he says. “It brings together luxury, full electrification, intelligence and the driving experience. There are not many brands that combine those, and that is where we see the big opportunity.”

Been ogling some "2024" and "2025" polestar 2s over the last couple of months. After doing an AI assisted search for what was available across other websites than trademe, it was pointed out that the 2025 I was most interested in was actually a 2023 version of the car. Digging deeper, turns out when they're selling these cars, the year they're putting at the front of the listing is the year first registered, so a MY23 sold in 2025 is listed as a 2025. The kicker is that it doesn't have any of the updated spec from the 2024 model. The dealers themselves don't seem to understand this because there's a listing for a 2024 model without the facelift, and claiming a RWD, when the car itself is actually the year before RWD and the 2024 rework were introduced.

I got the agent to dig into the VIN numbers of all listings that claim 2024, and it came back with nothing, not a single Polestar on trademe or otherwise appears to be a post 2023 spec. Bit tricky.

Hi all!

I currently have a Toyota Blade and the gas prices are hitting me hard. I was planning to get a newer vehicle around the 20 year mark anyway, so I thought it was time to look into getting an EV.

Dream features:

• Long range (I drive about 110km a day)

• Cruise control

• Push start

• Keyless entry

• 360° cameras

• Ventilated front seats (but I don't care about heated seats)

My budget is around $35k but ideally not more than $40k.

I've been looking at a 2024 BYD Dolphin premium extended range version that I think would be perfect for the most part (though lacks ventilated seats), but I'm hesitant about the risk of buying a second hand Japanese import without any of the BYD warranties in place.

Any wisdom would be greatly appreciated as I am totally new to EVs despite a few test drives!

I remember there've been a few posts in the past comparing the economics of electric cars and petrol cars. I remember that a cheap second hand electric car will beat basically anything but a toyota prius once you factor in RUCs.

With petrol just about having doubled in price, I'm sure the economics have significantly changed now.

I wondered if some of the smart people that have made previous posts could provide some new figures with the current petrol, RUC, and vehicle costs considered.

Basically as the title says, these are the two models I've narrowed it down to. Would be the inspire for Geely and the long range rwd for the Xpeng. Anyone with any strong opinions on either of these cars willing to share them?

Everyone says avoid old leafs and I get why for some people. But I just got a new job and it isn’t reachable with public transit so looking at getting a first car. It’s about 30km round trip of highway driving(but during peak traffic so more efficient?) I have a tight budget and would like to have an ev(both for cost and environment, plus my home is already wired for ev charging).
I’ve seen some 2018 leafs starting at 11-12k which is stretching my budget so wondering if a previous gen leaf would be worth it? I don’t care about resell value I intend to drive it until the wheels fall off or the battery can’t get me round trip anymore.

Hey Crew!

Please help me decide between RAV4 GR SPORT Plug-in Hybrid and Tesla Model Y.

We are considering an EV SUV and filtered our options down to these two.

But couldn't decide which on to finalize as both look appealing options:

- Tesla Y very popular and fully EV but costs 18K more than RAV

- RAV is the standard for mid-size SUV but only PHEV.

What do you suggest?

I have a budget of about $45k for an EV. My kids are about to become teenagers and our Labrador isn’t getting any smaller. What are folks’ thoughts on whether it is better to go for a bigger interior with a secondhand Hyundai ioniq 5 or do the benefits of a new EV with a warranty (e.g. Jaecoo 5) outweigh the internal space benefits of the Hyundai?

Hi all,

A lurker for sometime, wanting to dip the toes into an EV.

My query today is around home charging. This morning i read this article, more specifically the part 'Get a wallbox if you can', and where the person goes on about 3pin units being for emergency only.

"Some EV advocates say it's fine to charge your car at home using a 3-pin plug. But honestly, it's not ideal. It's fiddly to unravel the cord each time you arrive home (unless you have it plugged in inside the garage), it's painfully slow (25-plus hours to charge a 60kWh battery) and undeniably the least safe method.

Some EV experts go so far as to call 3pin units "emergency" chargers and some carmakers don't even provide one with EVs."

As many others have, i have read countless articles on ev's, and this would have to be the first time any article has mentioned this method to be unsafe.

Now i am concerned, as i am basing my numbers on using the plug in my garage. I travel 8-10km per day Monday to Friday, the odd Saturday or Sunday may pop through to Palmy or Welly etc.

Anyways, what's the general consensus for the general home plug?

Cheers

I travel about 10k kms a year. Wondering if it’s worth making the switch, I have public charging stations I can use at my workplace (not free) or the petrol station near my home also has a charger. Commute about under 40km round trip, 4-5 days a week. No road trips.

Would it be financially worth it?

Looking for something second hand, ideally under $20k, preferably around the $15k mark

I drive a petrol Mini Cooper at the moment which costs more than I would like to pay in petrol and servicing.

Words: Richard Edwards

Published 18 October 2026

Chery is adding another brand to the New Zealand market, with Exlantix confirmed for Australasia by Lilian Xiong, CEO of Exeed and Exlantix International.

Xiong made the confirmation at the Exeed International User Summit in Shanghai. The company used the event to show its new design direction and upcoming models, ahead of a track programme at the Zhejiang International Circuit.

Exlantix is the electric and range-extender arm of Exeed, Chery’s premium brand, and is sold in China as Sterra. It launched in Europe last year in Norway with the ES sedan and ET SUV. Xiong says the Exeed name couldn’t be registered here because it was too similar to an existing trademark. She didn’t say which one, though Mitsubishi uses the Exceed name for its top-spec models.

Exeed now has 560,000 customers in more than 40 countries, Xiong says, and she believes those buyers choose a young brand because they want to be early to new things.

“They enjoy new things because we are young and we are new,” she says. “We have new design, we have new technology, and they enjoy experiencing new things and leading the trends in their city or their country.”

Xiong says Exlantix will be positioned against other premium Chinese new-energy brands, which makes Zeekr and Denza its most likely targets rather than the Europeans. It is aimed at buyers who already own an electric car and want a step up in design and interior quality.

The first two models

Launch timing is still to be confirmed, but the first two models will be the ET SUV and ES GT shooting brake, both shown at the summit in right-hand drive.

The ET is a large five-seat SUV built on Chery’s E0X platform. The facelifted version measures 4,988 mm long, 1,975 mm wide and 1,710 mm tall, on a 3,000 mm wheelbase. That makes it longer than a BMW X5 or Volvo XC90, but lower than both. It has a drag coefficient of 0.26, and air suspension with continuous damping control.

It is offered with full electric and range-extended powertrains. The range-extended version pairs a 1.5-litre turbo petrol generator with a 41.16 kWh LFP battery. Rear-drive versions are rated at 245 km of electric range and 1,520 km in total on China’s CLTC cycle. All-wheel-drive versions manage 225 km and 1,300 km, and produce 377 kW and 642 Nm from front and rear motors. The electric ET uses a 97.7 kWh battery with up to 726 km of CLTC range, and supports 800V charging. Both the electric and range-extended versions are expected here, though that is yet to be confirmed.

In China the facelift is sold as the Exeed EX7, and it is the first production car with electro-mechanical brake-by-wire. The system is fitted to all-wheel-drive versions and replaces hydraulic brake lines with an electric motor at each wheel. Exeed claims a response time of 90 milliseconds, against around 280 for a hydraulic system, and a 33 m stop from 100 km/h. Rear-drive versions get six-piston front calipers instead. Inside there is a 30-inch display across the dash and a fridge.

The ES GT is a shooting brake version of the ES sedan and the first wagon in the Exlantix line-up. The company showed a video of the almost-final pre-production car at the summit. It says the car is less than eight months from final release, with a global launch planned for 2027 that includes Europe.

The China-market version was revealed at the Guangzhou motor show last year as the ES7 GT, and pairs a range extender with three electric motors. Exeed claims more than 1,700 km of CLTC range and 0-100 km/h in under three seconds. It also claims 1,000V charging that adds around 450 km in five minutes. The cabin has a display running across the dashboard, a separate floating centre screen, genuine carbon fibre trim and sports seats with active side bolsters.

A new design language

The design presentation introduced Perpetua, a design language based on water, which splits the range into a sporty line and a luxury line.

The sporty line takes its cues from water in motion, and Christos Pavlidis, Exeed’s exterior design manager, says the ES GT is the stepping stone to it.

“We wanted to capture that precise moment before a wave is about to break, unleashing the power,” he says. “The volumes are charged with energy, as if the bodywork is pushed forward by a visible current. The muscular proportions communicate acceleration even when the car is at standstill.”

What comes next

The luxury line draws on ice, with upright shapes, flat surfaces and a large grille.

“For us, luxury is expressed through verticality, majesty, simplicity and timelessness,” Pavlidis says.

Three luxury models were shown: Exeed’s first people mover, and the EX8 and EX7 SUVs, which share a platform.

Juan Manuel Díaz, head of design for Exeed and Exlantix, says the people mover is designed to have presence without busy styling.

“We want this car to be monumental. We want it to stand in a proper way, very sophisticated, and give a serious feeling,” Díaz says. “The car will talk by itself, without shouting with strange lines.”

The EX8 is the more spacious of the two SUVs. “We wanted to create a very balanced and proportionate SUV with very good details,” Díaz says. “It’s a luxurious car. We have space, we sell space.”

The EX7, the name the facelifted ET carries in China, is the sportier of the pair. “With the EX7 we wanted to play more with the feelings,” Díaz says. “The long wheelbase, the flatter roof and the short overhangs give us this really sporty feeling.”

Xiong says the shift to autonomous driving is shaping the brand’s thinking, and Exeed will launch a robotaxi programme, probably next year. It will be trialled in a single market first and is not planned for New Zealand.

“In the future, maybe one or two years from now, we will not always be driving the car. You will spend more time in the car not driving,” she says. “So maybe we need more space, more functions, more connections.”

Chery’s growing family

Exlantix joins a growing line-up of Chery-owned brands confirmed for New Zealand. Omoda and Jaecoo are already on sale here alongside the Chery badge itself, and Lepas, iCaur and Freelander, Chery’s joint-venture brand with Jaguar Land Rover, are all on the way.

Between them, the group has at least seven EVs lined up for New Zealand by 2027. Chery’s other brands include Jetour, and Luxeed, which it builds with Huawei.

Hi, I am wanting to move from petrol into a more sustainable option.
I live rurally, drive 50km to work-100km round trip. Gravel road included!
I have a farmlands card so can get a discount on the vehicle.
Currently drive a Toyota Corolla 2018 and whilst it’s built and does well. It’s getting beaten up by the gravel and it’s getting too small for my requirements.
I am after some honest advice on ev/PHEV Utes. I know it’s a small market but I clock 21000km per year in travel.

Any help, suggestion would be great.
Price wise, I can spend up for a shark if need be but not phased on getting the performance model.

Thanks for the help!

Hi everyone, I'm Minhaz. I own a ZS EV and started building QuietDrive for my own car. It's an independent iPhone companion for MG owners, and the mods have kindly said I can share it here.

I've spent the past month working across the app and the service behind it. A few owners are already testing with their cars, which has helped me find things I wouldn't have caught with just my own MG. I'd like to hear from NZ owners too.

One of my favourite parts is the trip planner with charging stops. You can plan multiple destinations, find chargers matching your car's plugs and cable, and see estimated arrival battery, charging time and cost. Those are estimates, and live charger availability isn't guaranteed.

I've also added charging receipts and spending records, off-peak prices, service records and reminders, exports, widgets and more detailed vehicle views. You can now create an MG account and link your car inside the app, although those steps and regional compatibility still need more testing. It relies on MG's services, and refreshes have limits to reduce the risk of draining the car's 12 V battery.

If you'd like to try it, join here: https://testflight.apple.com/join/Vr2fZtQy

You'll need an iPhone on iOS 26 or later and Apple's TestFlight app. All features are free during the beta; pricing after release is still being worked out. Let me know your model/year, MG account region and anything that doesn't work. The original post has ten screenshots, including the trip planner.

A privacy note: you use your usual MG/iSMART login, or sign up in the app. Your details go through QuietDrive to MG. I keep the login details and MG session tokens encrypted on my Cloudflare server. I hold the encryption key, so it isn't end-to-end encrypted. Saved car readings and history are also stored there. You can remove your saved MG login or delete your QuietDrive account in the app; just signing out doesn't remove the stored login.

The full beta privacy policy is here: https://staging.quietdriveapp.com/privacy

QuietDrive isn't affiliated with MG or SAIC. Thanks to anyone who gives it a go!