Electric SUV Expo dazzles Melbourne

Aside from those two, the three-day event – hosted by Future Drive Auto – showcased a broad selection of electric and electrified vehicles from the movers and shakers of the Australian market. 

Brands conspicuous by their absence included MG and Tesla, while entrants from a mix of emerging and established marques included BYD, Ford, GWM, LDV, Mini, and Polestar, with Hyundai, Kia, and Toyota all making their presence known. 

Against this backdrop, XPeng stole the show with its electric Aeroht X2 flying ‘car’ that amazed attendees with its minimalist drone-like design, sitting comfortably amid a range of ground-based vehicles, each with their own futuristic presence. 

XPeng models also garnering significant attention from the Melbourne crowd included the family-sized G9 SUV, X9 ‘starship’ MPV, handsome G6 coupe-SUV, and striking P7 coupe s, with queues forming to sit inside and experience the models’ luxurious and tech-laden cabins. 

Not to be outdone by its compatriot, Zeekr’s stage hosted a pair of its X ‘urban SUVs’, the mid-sizer one of several the Chinese marque will introduce to Australia before the end of the year. 

Roughly the size of a Hyundai Kona, the Zeekr X will offer rear- and all-wheel drive configurations and a 0-100km/h time as low as 3.8 seconds. Its driving range is listed at up to 446km. 

Speaking on the forthcoming range, Zeekr Australia head of marketing Andrew Haurissa said the brand aims to set itself apart from others in the landscape. 

“Zeekr stands on three core pillars: one being the ultimate experience throughout the vehicle and ownership experience, the second being cocreation, and the third mobility lifestyle,” he said. 

“Zeekr is very much focused on offering a seamless experience throughout your buying journey, one that is underpinned by substance, sustainability and performance.” 

Further discussing how Zeekr models will differ from those already in the market, Mr Haurissa said the in-house developed battery and driveline technology offered will improve range and charging times considerably with 400- and 800-volt architecture to be made available. 

Hinting at what the Australian portfolio might soon look like, Mr Haurissa said Zeekr was intently focussed on offering right-hand drive markets as much choice as possible, even going so far as to dedicating a production line to the cause. 

“We have three main factories right now, each producing specific cars, and with dedicated lines for right-hand drive models,” he said. 

“As well as the Zeekr X, 001 and 009, we also have a recently opened facility producing the 7X large SUV which hopefully we will see here in the near future.” 

The 7X will join the X urban SUV as a rival to the Tesla Model Y. It is expected to form part of an expanding range of all-electric offerings including the aforementioned 001 shooting brake and 009 people mover. 

According to the Electric Vehicle Council (EVC), Australians purchased 98,436 battery electric vehicles in 2023, a 120 per cent increase on the year prior. 

The EVC says sales of BEVs are growing in part because of their increasing affordability, as well as their “environmental advantages” and “advanced technologies”. 

As for the next electric-themed event, Future Drive Auto says it will head to New South Wales in November for the Sydney International EV Show.