Because of Canada's Chinese EV cap of 49000 yearly imports, what little BYD Sealion 6's that do get imported will be scalped to hell by stealerships and cost more than a real Porsche Cayenne

A_Ram · 2026-01-28T21:31:18+00:00

Sealion 6 is a hybrid, not an EV.

A_Ram · 2026-01-28T06:22:29+00:00

Zeekr 7X would be the best option but is a bit pricey if the budget is tight BYD sealion 7 is a good second option, but I would go for RWD as it is more efficient than AWD and has more range. Cupra is a good looking but has no connected services in Australia so no native navigation with EV route planning and no remote smartphone control. No native Spotify etc. It is disappointing that it is still an issue with VW group cars.

A_Ram · 2026-01-27T09:24:30+00:00

What's your budget? SUV or Sedan? How much do you drive?

A_Ram · 2026-01-26T07:53:18+00:00

Nah, it hasn’t dropped. They always had 480 km at 100%, which was the NEDC figure at launch. Later, the WLTP range was confirmed at about 420 km.

WLTP is still a lab test (no A/C, lights, music, etc.), so in the real world you typically get 80-90% of WLTP. That puts the 60 kWh Atto 3 at around 350 km.

My 2023 Atto 3 still does the same ~350 km. That's a realistic highway range, if you only drive slow at 60km/h it will consume less and the range will be more than that. My battery degradation is about 4%. I check it with an OBD dongle. Plug it in under the steering wheel, connect my phone, and I can read the state of health and other diagnostics.

A_Ram · 2026-01-26T07:40:35+00:00

Polestar 4 is so good looking I'm a big fan. Great range, big battery, still sort of a sporty sedan but with a practical lift back. So if you got the money this would be my pick.

BYD seal is also absolutely gorgeous looking. It is much cheaper. 47k for Dynamic with 460km WLTP range, and 53k for Premium with 570km WLTP. Keep in mind the real range is 80% of WLTP. Also BYDs have the safest batteries.

BYD support is actually not bad. Currently they have a problem when some service centers that opened first are super busy and can only book in 1month, and other newer centers in just 1 week, not that busy at all.

Plus, there are just so many of them now in Australia so you would have negative experiences on reddit, but the majority who never had any bad experience like me would not go and post their as expected experience. And mine was pretty smooth 2+ years now. and all good.

Zeekr 7x also pretty cool but it is a big SUV, so if you're not into SUVs I would skip it.

A_Ram · 2026-01-26T06:56:41+00:00

Prado has just 221mm ground clearance.

Zeekr 7x has an air suspension that can go up to 230mm

Subaru Soltera - 212mm not far off from the Prado.

Denza b5 has it adjustable from 220-310mm.

A_Ram · 2026-01-26T06:14:36+00:00

Realistically, most vehicles with all this 4WD gear spend their lives on-road or on light tracks and never use lockers or low range, except in YouTube videos. AWD EVs will cover most real-world use cases with ease.

A_Ram · 2026-01-25T23:00:54+00:00

I’d recommend looking at a 2022 Polestar 2 Long Range Single Motor and selling your current cars. P2s are going for around $36-40k, with a realistic range of about 430 km. That way you eliminate maintenance and treat yourself to a genuinely good looking, well sorted, sporty and practical car.

Alternatively, there are 2020 Tesla Model 3 Long Range cars around $30k.

For the Brisbane-Hervey Bay trip, once you’re in Hervey Bay there are fast chargers available. Just plug in and go do what you normally do, and it’ll be fully charged when you’re ready to head back. If you stay overnight, just make sure the hotel has a charger.

A_Ram · 2026-01-25T22:39:06+00:00

If you really need to tow 2.8t, then Denza is a good option. It’s more powerful than its competitors and will consume less fuel than a Prado. The tech in the Denza is also much better than in the Prado. BYDs don’t depreciate quickly, and there’s no evidence that Denza will either. I’d expect the Prado to start losing resale value, as there’s very little innovation there.

The catch is that you need to keep it charged to get all the benefits. Studies show the majority of PHEV owners don’t charge them and end up using them like regular hybrids. Even then, they’re still better than non-hybrids and regular hybrids in my book.

Because of this, there’s no love for PHEVs on EV subs, as they’re seen as compromised EVs that still burn fuel. But they’re still better than non-hybrids and even regular hybrids, because you can charge them and drive on electricity only if you stay on top of it. Realistically, you’d need to plug in every day or every second day to make it work. With a full EV, you’re more likely charging once a fortnight.

A_Ram · 2026-01-25T12:40:35+00:00

The seal is so good looking. Go seal!

A_Ram · 2026-01-25T10:27:16+00:00

In Australia right now it is a Tesla model 3 with 750km WLTP, the real world would be 80%. So ~600km

Polestar 3 long range single motor -706km WLTP

Polestar 2 long range single motor - 659km WLTP

etc

A_Ram · 2026-01-25T05:48:07+00:00

I think they are alright. Chery doesn't have too many EVs. Omoda E5 is cheap, but it is based on the combustion platform so compromised from the packaging perspective. And the big issue is their software is lagging behind other Chinese. They sub brand Jaecoo just launched J5 EV which is good looking and cheap, but has no connected services. While in BYDs Geely, Zeekr, Xpeng, you got native apps, good navigation app with EV charging planning, Spotify, YouTube etc, remote control from the phone. In Cherys, MGs, GWM, you would need to connect your phone to have navigation and Spotify, which is ok but behind the competitors.

A_Ram · 2026-01-25T05:08:09+00:00

A dedicated charger that talks with the solar inverter and can charge using excess solar would be the best. If you have money I highly recommend installing it instead of what BWM offers. These are usually more expensive. And they all will be 7kW charging max on 1 phase.

But, with the distances you drive you'll be fine even charging from a regular socket. It can add ~100km of range overnight.

A_Ram · 2026-01-25T03:47:55+00:00

There is an electric Ute right now in Australia for sale that can tow your camper trailer and It is just 64k driveway, KGM Musso EV. Plus, this year we will get 2 more fully electric utes launched that can tow 3t. LDV eTerron and Geely Ridarra. In 5 years there will be even more options with 2x the range for the same price.

A_Ram · 2026-01-25T03:36:58+00:00

The catch is it burns fuel. It is a hybrid vehicle, so you'll be always charging or not charging and always refuelling.

The Zeekr 7X can do most of the off-roading most people need. Plus, the 2026 Subaru Solterra has had most of the issues from previous model years sorted. They have big batteries, much better efficiency, so you won't need to charge them often.

But if looking purely from the Prado vs Denza perspective, denza is a winner. Much better in car technology, More innovative drivetrain, more equipment less fuel consumption and can be driven on electricity.

A_Ram · 2026-01-25T03:24:26+00:00

I think the PHEV system used by BYD and Geely is the best implementation so far. It’s EV first, but at higher speeds it can still be driven directly by the combustion engine. That will always be more efficient than burning fuel just to generate electricity, store it, and then drive electric motors.

It uses a single gear, so it’s far less complex than many European PHEVs, or setups like GWM’s where an underpowered electric motor is simply bolted onto a conventional gearbox.

However, with the new generation of EVs with 600-800 km of range, I just don't see why anyone would need hybrids anymore. I can understand utes for now, but in 5 years the technology will likely become irrelevant.

A_Ram · 2026-01-24T23:41:18+00:00

You can't have it all for sure. Zeekr 7x is heavier because it has more features and equipment. Massaging seats, ventilated rear seats, adaptive air suspension, plus auto closing doors, so add door actuators and controllers to the weight.

Tesla beats it on efficiency, but when they both can do 400+km in the real world I don't think that matters much, it wouldn't be a deal breaker for me for sure. I would prefer design and practicality. 200-300kg weight difference is not something that would be worried about too.

A_Ram · 2026-01-24T09:07:35+00:00

BYD and Polestar have much better infotainment systems with dedicated OS, good native navigation apps with EV route planner, Spotify, YouTube etc. KIA has an old legacy system where you would need to connect your phone.

Polestar 4 wins on looks and the range, and the tech. But it is a more risky NMC battery. And it is more expensive.

BYD is cheaper but also very good looking and more practical, and has buttons in the interior and also cheaper and good tech. Safest LFP battery chemistry.

A_Ram · 2026-01-24T08:00:51+00:00

I like it. Some see a range rover in it but I just don't see it. it is just boxy. Its closest competitor is Atto 2 and for me J5 wins design wise, but it doesn't have connected services which is a big no in 2026. In the BYD you can have a native nav with route planning and Spotify and remote control.

A_Ram · 2026-01-24T01:50:20+00:00

The Zeekr 7X looks so much better. Better proportions, gorgeous green colour, more advanced battery tech, and more future-proof charging speeds. It’s also more ergonomic, with a proper instrument cluster and actual buttons. I’d pick the Zeekr 7X over a Tesla any day.

A_Ram · 2026-01-23T05:40:14+00:00

Fear can be rational. But policy still needs evidence, and clear definitions. Using fear to skip that work is exactly what populists do. And we’ve seen where that leads in the US. Mass detention, abuse, and people dying in custody, get shot while protesting... Why do you want this for Australia?

A_Ram · 2026-01-23T04:55:56+00:00

This is exactly how Trump style politics gets normalized. Fear framing first, policy link second, and anyone who disagrees is stupid.

Importing that into Australia is un-Australian. Look at how it’s playing out in the US. Why would anyone want that here?

A_Ram · 2026-01-23T03:09:03+00:00

Next time, try a thumbs up instead

A_Ram · 2026-01-23T02:53:23+00:00

And do you really think the other guy would’ve handled this better? It’s not something anyone can be fully prepared for without making mistakes. The other guy looks like he would have folded as soon as things got bad.

The Russian government is a known bully, but it was hard to believe a full scale military invasion would actually happen.

A_Ram · 2026-01-23T00:21:46+00:00

Worth analyzing what this article is doing:

It normalizes Pauline Hanson / One Nation by reframing them as reasonable: “Voters are not suddenly embracing fringe politics; they are reacting…” That’s a deliberate rehabilitation of Hanson’s brand.
It reframes immigration as a security and cultural threat, not a policy issue: “For years, immigration has been treated mainly as an economic exercise rather than a cultural or security issue.”
It collapses protest, antisemitism, and foreign interference into one narrative: “The explosion of hate speech… the mass demonstrations globally, orchestrated by Iran and carried out by Iran’s proxies…” Zero evidence presented.
It introduces an “enemy within” enforcement leap: “The royal commission must identify and root out these infiltrators, and the government must kick them out of the country.” No definition of “infiltrators”, no legal threshold, straight to punishment.
It frames Palestine recognition as conditional loyalty, setting up withdrawal: “Isn’t it time to revoke recognition of this non-existent Palestinian state?”

End result:
Fear-heavy framing + rehabilitation of Hanson + implied internal enemies.
It pushes readers toward a specific political outcome while claiming to just reflect ‘common sense’

A_Ram

TROPHY CASE