1. Chery's Exlantix lands in Australia mid-2027, Zeekr in its sights
Chery is launching yet another brand here — a premium outfit called Exlantix, due in Australia in mid-2027 with Zeekr and Denza firmly in its sights. First up: the ES GT plug-in hybrid wagon and the ET large SUV (plug-in hybrid or full electric). Overseas reports reckon the ES GT could pack a tri-motor range-extender setup with 0–100 km/h in under three seconds and 1,700 km of combined range. Both models get roof-mounted LiDAR for high-level driver assistance — though Australia's rules still need to catch up.
Source: Drive.com.au
2. GWM and XPeng almost went to war over a name
Two Chinese rivals just scraped past a trademark stoush here. GWM is launching its Wey luxury sub-brand, but its people mover — sold in other right-hand-drive markets as the Wey G9 — hit a snag: XPeng holds the G9 rights in Australia. So GWM renamed it the G9X, filing the trademark in late June. When XPeng tried to claim G9X for itself six weeks later, Australia's IP authorities knocked it back in September. The Lexus LM rival will be the first Wey model to launch in Australia and New Zealand.
Source: Drive.com.au
3. BYD's Atto 8 charges 10–70% in five minutes flat
BYD has revealed the Atto 8 for Europe — a battery-electric counterpart to the plug-in hybrid Sealion 8 we get here. The headline act is Flash charging: 10 to 70 per cent in as little as five minutes, 97 per cent in nine, and even at minus 30°C it only adds three minutes. That's peak 1,500 kW charging feeding a 115 kWh second-gen Blade battery. The entry rear-drive model makes 340 kW with 652 km of WLTP range; the all-wheel-drive flagship steps up to 570 kW / 775 Nm and 0–100 km/h in 4.6 seconds. No Aussie plans confirmed yet — but most BYD models built for Europe end up here eventually.
Source: Drive.com.au
4. Electric Mercedes-AMG GT SUV: 860 kW, 2.7 seconds
AMG has revealed its electric GT SUV, the second model on its dedicated AMG.EA platform. The flagship GT 63 makes 860 kW and 2,000 Nm, launching to 100 km/h in 2.7 seconds with 620 km of WLTP range from the 128 kWh battery. The three trims span 400–860 kW with peak 710 kW DC charging on the bigger pack — though you'd need chargers well beyond the 350 kW units on Aussie highways to see it. It weighs 2,525–2,715 kg, and Australian pricing and timing are yet to be confirmed. In Germany the entry GT 53 starts at €113,050 — roughly A$183,000 before luxury car tax does its damage.
Source: The Beep
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