This year was pretty great for electric vehicles in Australia, in between a range of new incentives, BYD’s brilliant value-to-range Atto 3, and the arrival of the long-awaited Tesla Model Y.
We managed to put out seven EV reviews this year (plus a PHEV review), and we’ve decided to shout out which one impressed us the most, along with what we’re looking forward to next year.
So, what’s Gizmodo Australia’s favourite EV of 2022? Well, firstly, let’s get a runner-up out of the way.
Runner-up: The BYD Atto 3 Extended Range Model
Right up until the moment where I started writing this article, I was prepared to do an 11th-hour switch to the BYD Atto 3 and make it Gizmodo Australia’s favourite EV of 2022.
At about $15,000 cheaper ($47,381) than the winner, with a slightly lower WLTP range, the BYD Atto 3 is a beautiful small SUV with value and range in mind.
The reason it didn’t get the top spot came down to the fact that it’s had a bit of a bumpy entry into the Australian market, between delays and missing features.
In my opinion, stuff like this didn’t fly particularly well for the BYD Atto 3 as a vehicle sold up to the writing of this article, in between retracting expensive servicing plans and not rolling out Android Auto/Apple Carplay integration at launch. It didn’t even ship with maps or Spotify.
While I’m very excited for BYD in Australia, and continue to be excited for their new cars in 2023 (and the updates that the BYD Atto 3 will receive as time goes on), I want to see this automaker warm up for a bit.
Nobody’s denying that the Atto 3 is a great car — it is, and it’s a better value option than most competitors, but there are kinks that they need to work out. It will most definitely be a much better option in 2023.
If you’re eager to save some money on an EV in 2022, then the BYD Atto 3 is a worthwhile contender.
If you’re interested in Gizmodo Australia’s favourite EV of 2022? Well, that’d be the Polestar 2.
Gizmodo Australia’s EV of the year: The Polestar 2
I’ve jumped at every opportunity to write about the Polestar 2 this year, having reviewed it all the way back in January. I was blown away with how good the car was.
I love every aspect of the Polestar 2. The fact that it’s presented as a direct competitor to the Tesla Model 3, which had been previously lauded as the best all-rounder EV, is something that first attracted me to the car. Challenging Tesla’s market dominance is pretty admirable, and although we said that the car wasn’t really a ‘Tesla killer’, it does exist on its own terms.
Stylistically, the Polestar 2 looks incredible, to the point where I’d also give it the ‘most beautiful EV in Australia’ title, but we’re not going to write an article about that. Design-wise, it gives grunt like a muscle car, with bodywork like a saloon/SUV. And the inside, what a looker.
Not to mention its range is pretty nice, at 474km WLTP, with a nice 0-100km/h speed (7.4 seconds in the FWD, 4.7 in the AWD). Its operating system (Android Automotive) is also terrific, to the point that I was missing it in every other EV I drove this year.
Do keep in mind the other cars I reviewed this year: the Tesla Model Y, the Kia EV6, the Kia Niro 2022, the MG ZS EV and the BYD Atto 3 were all contenders for this praise, but the Polestar 2 gives me everything I want.
I look forward to the Polestar 2 becoming cheaper on the second-hand market so that, hopefully one day, I (and prospective EV owners) could afford the car. Unfortunately, the $60,000+ price tag for EVs is a bit out of my price range, but I would gladly pick up a second-hand Polestar 2 at the right price.
But if you’re eying an EV purchase right now, then I recommend the Polestar 2 (especially if you’ve crunched the numbers on petrol vs electricity savings and see the high price as a worthy tradeoff). It’s a pleasure to drive, with, in my opinion, the best price-to-experience ratio on offer.
What EV are we most excited for in 2023?
I’m most excited for the Subaru Solterra, which will be the company’s first foray into the electric market with a collaboration with Toyota (which will sell the same vehicle with the BZ4X badge).
I was raised with Subarus in the family, so to see the company finally ship an EV has me very excited. Subaru’s known for safe, necessities-only cars, with most vehicles shipped with AWD drivetrains.
It’s a truly beautiful car. Of all of the electric SUVs I’ve seen, this one has to have my favourite aesthetic, even if it is a cyberpunk-like departure from Subaru’s typical rounded corners.
So, yeah, very excited for the Solterra. I genuinely can’t wait. Other than the Solterra, I’m excited to see which car will push the price of an EV down the most. This’ll likely come from BYD, MG or Volkswagen.
Still, 2023 is shaping up to be another interesting year for EVs.