The cheapest new car in Australia is now electric, at least until 15 December. BYD's Atto 1 Essential is $19,990 drive-away on a promotion, the same price as MG's cheapest petrol hatch, the MG3 Vibe, while that car's $1,000 cashback lasted. Five years ago, the cheapest EV here cost more than twice as much.
With petrol averaging 238.4 cents a litre in late October, up 58.2 cents on a year earlier, the timing is hard to ignore. We ranked the 10 cheapest electric cars you can order in Australia right now by the lowest price a private buyer can actually pay, then checked range, safety and running costs to find which ones are worth buying.
The quick answer: the best cheap EVs
The BYD Dolphin Essential is the best cheap electric car in Australia right now. At $28,888 drive-away it gives you 340km of claimed range, a five-star rating and a proper back seat. The Atto 1 is the cheapest to buy but suits city driving only. If you need range, the GAC Aion UT gives you the most per dollar.
The Aion UT and Dolphin give you the most range per dollar. The Atto 1 is cheap to buy but short on range, and the Honda Super-One costs more than double the field per kilometre. The GWM Ora 5 is left out because GWM only quotes the older WLTC range figure.
Our calculation: price divided by the maker's WLTP range. Drive-away prices are promotional and dated; the Atto 2 and EX2 are list prices before on-road costs, which flatters them by about $3,000 to $3,500. Super-One range reported as 202 to 206km.
Price per kilometre of range is the number that matters most in this class, because a cheap EV with a small battery limits where you can go. The Aion UT costs about $74 for every claimed kilometre of range, the Atto 1 about $91, and the Honda Super-One about $183. Prices move weekly on promotions, so treat every figure here as dated.
1. BYD Atto 1: the cheapest new car in Australia
At $19,990 drive-away, the Atto 1 Essential undercuts every petrol car on sale. It has a 30kWh battery, a 65kW motor and 220km of claimed range, enough for most commutes but not for regular country trips. BYD's own configurator shows the promotion is worth up to $6,900 depending on your state, and it ends with orders on 15 December.
It isn't a penalty box. It carries a five-star ANCAP rating from 2025, a 308-litre boot and an eight-year battery warranty. The catch is performance: it takes about 11 seconds to reach 100km/h, and fast charging tops out at about 65kW. Buy it as a city car or second car, not your only car. Our guide to first cars under $20,000 covers used alternatives.
2. Geely EX2: the long-warranty hatch
The Geely EX2 Complete lists at $26,490 before on-road costs, so it costs a little under $30,000 on the road. It offers 252km of claimed range, a 70-litre front boot and the longest unconditional cover here: seven years with unlimited kilometres on the car and eight on the battery. Its 2026 five-star rating includes a 95 per cent safety-assist score.
It's slow, at about 14 seconds to 100km/h on reported figures, and the Complete's small battery makes it a city car first. Spend $30,990 on the Inspire for 345km. Geely is still new here, so resale is an unknown; our Geely EX5 review covers the brand's bigger SUV and our EV depreciation guide explains why early resale has been rough.
3. BYD Dolphin: the best all-rounder under $30,000
The Dolphin Essential is $28,888 drive-away until 15 December, down from a $29,990 list price. That buys a 44.9kWh battery, 340km of claimed range and a five-star rating, although that rating dates from 2023. It's the cheapest car here that can realistically do Melbourne to Ballarat and back without charging in between.
Its weaknesses are a modest 70kW motor and a DC charging speed BYD doesn't state for the Essential, quoting 80kW for the Premium only. It's the same brand and platform family as the Atto 3 we covered long term, and it's the one we'd recommend to most people buying their first EV on a budget.
4. Leapmotor B03X: the cheapest electric SUV, almost
Leapmotor's B03X Style is $29,990 drive-away as a launch offer, making it the cheapest electric SUV in Australia on paper. It gets a 39.8kWh battery, 292km of claimed range, 100kW DC charging and a 475-litre boot. The catch: it's available to pre-order only, with showroom arrival expected in November, and ANCAP hasn't rated it yet.
Don't pay a deposit on any unrated car if safety is your priority; wait for the result. Leapmotor is backed by Stellantis, which owns Jeep and Peugeot, and its bigger B05 hatch earned five stars this year, so the signs are good. It's still a new brand with no Australian resale history.
5. MG4 EV Urban: the safe established choice
The MG4 EV Urban Essence 43 is $31,990 drive-away, after a $2,000 cashback ended on 31 October. It reaches 100km/h in a claimed 9 seconds from a 110kW motor, and offers 316km of claimed range and a 2025 five-star rating. The boot is quoted at up to 480 litres, though that includes 98 litres under the floor.
The warranty is seven years with unlimited kilometres, and up to 10 years if serviced on schedule. But the battery cover is only seven years or 150,000km, shorter than BYD, Geely, GWM or GAC offer. Don't confuse it with the older MG4, now sold from the Excite 64: that's a different car with its own 2022 rating. MG's offers page lists current prices.
6. GAC Aion UT: the most range for the money
The Aion UT Premium is $31,990 drive-away for orders placed this quarter, and it claims 430km of WLTP range, more than anything else here. That's about $74 of purchase price per kilometre of range, the best value in our ranking. It earned five stars from ANCAP in 2026 and charges from 30 to 80 per cent in 24 minutes.
Look closer at the safety result, though. Its 68 per cent adult occupant score is the lowest of the five-star cars in this list, offset by strong scores for vulnerable road users and safety assist. GAC is another new brand to Australia, and a cheaper 44kWh short-range UT is due late this year.
7. BYD Atto 2: read the ad carefully
The electric Atto 2 Dynamic lists at $31,990 before on-road costs, and gets 345km of claimed range, 130kW and a 380-litre boot. The trap is BYD's $25,990 drive-away Atto 2 offer: that's for the Atto 2 DM-i, a plug-in hybrid, not the battery-electric car. The two look almost identical in the showroom.
The electric Atto 2 also has no ANCAP rating yet. After the Sealion 5 scored three stars under ANCAP's tougher 2026 test, we wouldn't assume any new BYD will earn five. The Dolphin costs less, is rated and goes nearly as far, so buy that instead unless you need the Atto 2's higher seating position.
8. GWM Ora 5: the one with a spare tyre
The Ora 5 Lux is $33,990 drive-away in Victoria, with a 58.3kWh battery, 150kW and a 120kW charging peak. It comes with a spare wheel as standard, which many small EVs skip, and that matters on country roads. GWM claims 435km, but on the older WLTC test rather than WLTP, which usually reads higher, so we can't rank it fairly on range.
It also has no ANCAP rating yet, with an assessment expected late this year. Until that lands, it's a value pick with an asterisk. If a spare tyre and a bigger battery matter more to you than a published safety score, it's worth a test drive.
9 and 10. Hyundai Inster and Leapmotor B05
The Hyundai Inster Standard Range is $35,990 drive-away on stock bought by 31 December, with 327km of range. It's the cleverest packaging here, but it scored four stars, not five, in 2025. Hyundai's Ioniq 3 arrives early next year, so check where it lands on price before you commit.
The Leapmotor B05 Style is also $35,990 drive-away and is the most car for that money: 401km of claimed range, 160kW, 156kW DC charging and a 2026 five-star rating. It's the best long-distance car in this list, and the one to choose if you regularly drive between cities.
How much will a cheap EV save you to run?
About $1,000 to $1,600 a year if you charge at home and drive 15,000km. At October's national average petrol price, the MG3 Vibe's 6.0L/100km costs about $2,146 a year. An Atto 1-sized EV costs $539 to $1,010 at typical home electricity tariffs, including an allowance for charging losses. Fast-charging on the road costs much more.
At October's petrol price, charging at home saves roughly $1,000 to $1,600 a year over 15,000km. Public fast charging costs far more per kWh and closes the gap, so the sums work best if you can plug in at home.
Our calculation. Petrol: AIP national average for the week ended 25 October 2026. Electricity: 24c to 45c a kWh, the range Canstar reports retailers charge. Atto 1 use derived from its 30kWh battery and 220km range; 10 per cent added for charging losses. Excludes servicing and rego.
A home wall charger makes the most of that saving, and our guide to home EV chargers covers the options. Get an insurance quote before you buy, because EV premiums still run higher than for petrol cars. And if you can't charge at home, a hybrid may make more sense; our best hybrid SUVs ranking covers those.
Do cheap EVs still get tax breaks?
Yes, through a novated lease. The fringe benefits tax exemption still applies to battery-electric cars under the luxury car tax threshold for fuel-efficient vehicles, which is $91,661 for 2026–27. Every car here qualifies easily. The government says it will review the exemption by mid-2027. Our novated lease explainer shows how the numbers work.
State help is mostly gone. NSW ended its EV stamp duty concession in 2024, and the ACT now charges duty on zero-emission cars. Queensland charges 2 per cent duty on electric cars against 3 per cent for a four-cylinder, and the Northern Territory offers free registration and a duty concession until 30 June 2027.
Spend a little more?
The bigger names start well above this group. The MGS5 EV is $41,990 drive-away, and Tesla's new entry Model 3 is reported at $45,900 before on-road costs, with 572km of range. Volvo's EX30 and Skoda's Elroq both start at about $50,000. For a mid-size electric SUV, our Model Y vs Sealion 7 comparison is the next step up.
Two cars we'd skip at their current prices. The Honda Super-One costs $36,900 drive-away for about 202km of range and isn't rated. And the Jaecoo J5 EV, which was $36,990 drive-away on an October offer, is also unrated. Both cost more than a five-star Leapmotor B05 that goes much further.
Which cheap electric car should you buy?
For most buyers, the BYD Dolphin Essential. It costs under $29,000 on the road until 15 December, goes 340km on paper, carries a five-star rating and has a back seat adults can use. Choose differently only if one need outranks the rest:
- Lowest price, city driving: BYD Atto 1 Essential, $19,990 drive-away to 15 December.
- Most range per dollar: GAC Aion UT Premium, 430km for $31,990 drive-away.
- Longest drives: Leapmotor B05 Style, 401km and 156kW charging for $35,990.
- Longest warranty: Geely EX2, seven years on the car and eight on the battery, both unlimited kilometres.
- Biggest dealer network: MG4 EV Urban, from one of the country's best-selling brands.
- Don't buy: an unrated car if safety comes first, or the $25,990 Atto 2 if you wanted an EV. That one's a plug-in hybrid.
| Car | Price | Battery | Range (WLTP) | Power | DC peak | ANCAP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BYD Atto 1 Essential | $19,990 d/a (to 15 Dec) | 30kWh | 220km | 65kW | About 65kW | 5 stars (2025) |
| Geely EX2 Complete | $26,490 + ORC | About 35kWh | 252km | About 60kW | About 60kW | 5 stars (2026) |
| BYD Dolphin Essential | $28,888 d/a (to 15 Dec) | 44.9kWh | 340km | 70kW | Not stated | 5 stars (2023) |
| Leapmotor B03X Style | $29,990 d/a (pre-order) | 39.8kWh | 292km | About 130kW | 100kW | Not rated |
| MG4 EV Urban Essence 43 | $31,990 d/a | 43kWh | 316km | 110kW | Not stated | 5 stars (2025) |
| GAC Aion UT Premium | $31,990 d/a (Q4 orders) | About 60kWh | 430km | About 150kW | About 87kW | 5 stars (2026) |
| BYD Atto 2 Dynamic | $31,990 + ORC | 51.1kWh | 345km | 130kW | About 82kW | Not rated |
| GWM Ora 5 Lux | $33,990 d/a (Vic) | 58.3kWh | 435km (WLTC) | 150kW | 120kW | Not rated |
| Hyundai Inster Standard Range | $35,990 d/a (to 31 Dec) | 42kWh | 327km | 71.1kW | Not stated | 4 stars (2025) |
| Leapmotor B05 Style | $35,990 d/a | 56.2kWh | 401km | 160kW | 156kW | 5 stars (2026) |
Sources: manufacturer Australian sites and offers pages and ANCAP, 30 October 2026. d/a = drive-away; + ORC = before on-road costs. Figures marked "about" come from launch reports rather than the maker's own Australian site.
Electric cars have finally reached the price of the cheapest petrol hatch, and with petrol near $2.40 a litre, they cost far less to run. If you can charge at home, a cheap EV is now the sensible choice rather than a brave one. Just buy a rated one, and order before the promotions end. Planning longer trips? Our Sydney to Melbourne road trip guide maps the charging gaps.
Prices, offers and ratings as at 30 October 2026. Header image: Alexander Migl, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons (cropped, plate blurred). The Atto 1 is sold overseas as the Dolphin Surf.
