William Stopford

2 days ago | carexpert.com.au | Paul Maric |Alborz Fallah |Anthony Crawford |William Stopford

Zeekr was established as an electric vehicle (EV) brand, but the Geely-owned Chinese carmaker is now venturing into the hybrid market with its new 9X large SUV. The Zeekr 9X features a 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine producing 205kW of power, mated with a 290kW front electric motor and a 370kW rear electric motor.

2 days ago | carexpert.com.au | Paul Maric |Alborz Fallah |Anthony Crawford |William Stopford

Nissan has revealed an all-new plug-in hybrid (PHEV) ute to take on the likes of the BYD Shark 6. The Nissan Frontier Pro, revealed at the Shanghai motor show today, has been co-developed by Nissan and joint-venture partner Dongfeng and will go on sale in China by the end of 2025. It won’t be exclusive to the Chinese market, however, with Nissan noting it “will also be exported outside of China, with the recipient markets to be the subject of a future announcement”.

2 days ago | carexpert.com.au | Paul Maric |Alborz Fallah |Anthony Crawford |William Stopford

The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) has instituted proceedings against LDV Automotive Australia for allegations of rust and corrosion in some of its vehicles. The consumer watchdog alleges LDV made “misleading representations to consumers” that its T60 ute and G10 van were “durable and tough [and] suitable for use in, near, or on, a variety of environments and off-road terrains”.

2 days ago | carexpert.com.au | Paul Maric |Alborz Fallah |Anthony Crawford |William Stopford

The next Nissan Navara is set to get plug-in hybrid power, giving the Japanese carmaker its first rival for the likes of the BYD Shark 6 and the upcoming Ford Ranger PHEV. Motor Trend reports the plug-in hybrid ute is still in development, and will launch before the end of this decade. “We need to have a solution by then. Three years from now,” Ponz Pandikuthira, chief planning officer for Nissan in the Americas, told the publication.

2 days ago | carexpert.com.au | Paul Maric |Alborz Fallah |Anthony Crawford |William Stopford

While it has now ended for plug-in hybrid vehicles (PHEVs), there remains a Fringe Benefits Tax (FBT) exemption for electric vehicles (EVs) in Australia – and the federal Opposition doesn’t plan on scrapping it should it win the upcoming federal election. When asked whether a Coalition government would repeal the EV tax break, Opposition Leader Peter Dutton made no such pledge – even though the shadow treasurer, Angus Taylor, called it “bad policy dressed up as tax reform” back in March.