Australia’s cheapest electric car just got cheaper

The GWM Ora from China has reset the benchmark as Australia’s cheapest electric car, now starting from $35,990 drive-away.

The new drive-away price is about $4000 less than its previous RRP and $4000 less than the next cheapest electric car, the MG4 Electric (from $39,990 drive-away).

The BYD Dolphin (also from China, as with the MG4 Electric) is the third cheapest electric car in Australia, priced from $41,190 drive-away in NSW (prices vary from state to state, depending on stamp duty).

This GWM Ora price cut follows weaker than expected sales versus its electric peers.

And it comes coincidentally in the same week Tesla trimmed the price of Model 3 Long Range by $1000 and cut prices of the Model Y by between $1500 and $8500.

• Ora Standard Range (310km range) – From $35,990 drive-away
• Ora Extended Range (420km range) – From $40,990 drive-away
• Ora Ultra (420km range) – From $43,990 drive-away
• Ora GT (400km range) – From $46,990 drive-away

Given the sensitivity of pricing at the lower end of the electric car segment – especially in the battle between GWM, MG and BYD – it is worth noting the following.

The BYD website in Australia was displaying the Dolphin’s $38,990 RRP as this article was published, however this price excludes unavoidable charges and is less than the true and final drive-away cost.

Fellow Chinese car makers Chery and MG last year fell foul of the same requirement: RRPs cannot be shown in isolation and final drive-away prices must be displayed in the same size font or larger.

According to the ACCC, since May 2009 all car companies must display drive-away pricing and not only the RRP which may make the final price seem more attractive than it really is:

“Businesses should not make false or misleading representations, particularly in relation to ‘headline’ prices,” a statement from the ACCC said.

“When businesses present prices to consumers, they must state the total price, including taxes, duties and all unavoidable or pre-selected extra fees.

“If businesses promote a price that is only part of the total price of goods or services, they must also include the total price (as a single figure) at least as prominently as the part price (or RRP).”