1. Denza's Z9 GT and its petrol-fast chargers slip to 2027
Bad news if you were waiting on Denza's Z9 GT wagon. The Z9 GT's Australian arrival has been pushed back into 2027, after originally being planned for the third quarter of 2026, and its headline Flash chargers are now due in the second half of 2027 — up to a year behind schedule — while talks with energy companies and government agencies continue. The wagon packs a 122kWh battery and up to 600km of WLTP range, with a price tipped at $120,000 to $150,000, among the most expensive Chinese cars ever sold here. Charging is the big claim: on a 1500kW Flash charger it claims 10 to 70 per cent in five minutes, and 10 to 97 per cent in nine. First sites are planned for Melbourne, Sydney and Adelaide, at three times the power of Australia's current fastest chargers.
Source: Drive
2. Toyota's new hybrid platform targets 15 per cent better economy
Toyota's next-generation hybrid powertrain, announced on 28 October, is built around a brand-new 1.5-litre four-cylinder engine in naturally aspirated and turbo versions, designed from scratch for electrification. Smaller, lighter motors, power control units and inverters — plus Toyota-developed silicon carbide power electronics — target fuel economy more than 15 per cent better than today's setup, through less friction, better thermal management and lower electrical losses. One multi-pathway architecture can carry battery-electric, plug-in hybrid and conventional hybrid models, spreading development cost across all three. No models have been named yet, and it is designed to run on renewable and carbon-neutral fuels too.
Source: Autocar
3. Waymo picks Toyota's bZ4X as its robotaxi for Japan and the UK
Waymo and Toyota struck their deal 18 months ago. Now it's a production plan: Toyota will build the 2027 bZ4X and fit Waymo's self-driving system at its Takaoka factory in Japan, with testing in Japan starting next year and deployment planned for the UK and other right-hand-drive markets after that. Waymo has been testing Jaguar I-Pace cars in London for months and plans a service there once permits land. The robotaxi bZ4X gets rear legroom, automatic doors, a power liftgate and ambient lighting. Testing starts with a small number of vehicles, and neither company has said when paid rides begin or how many cars Toyota will build.
Source: TechCrunch
4. Almost five million Aussies believe this busted warranty myth
Here's one worth knowing: almost five million Australian drivers believe they must service at a dealership to keep their car warranty, according to an October 2026 CHOICE report based on a survey commissioned by the Australian Aftermarket Automotive Association. It's not true. Experts say a qualified technician using parts appropriate for the job won't void your warranty, and your rights under Australian Consumer Law are automatic — a dealer or manufacturer can't take them away. Some repairs still need an authorised dealer, but that's the brand's process, not a rule that every service has to happen at the dealership.
Source: Drive
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