The Melbourne Motor Show celebrated its second edition since returning last year by highlighting 120 exhibitors from 10-12 April, with electric and hybrid vehicles representing most major reveals.
The event was set to welcome 100,000 attendees, with around 23% visiting from other states, organisers said on the Motor Show’s first day. It included 40,000 metres of exhibition space, featuring brands like Volkswagen, BYD, and Honda.
The Melbourne Motor Show’s showcases were dominated by electric vehicles. These ranged from new-to-Australia brands like Geely to established EV businesses like BYD and Polestar.
Similarly, new reveals from major companies were largely EVs or hybrids, such as Honda’s Super One electric car and Prelude hybrid vehicle.
The show also featured exhibitors from model car brands, including a new collaboration between Mattel and Aston Martin and Australia’s largest Hot Wheels activation.
All about EVs
The rise of EVs was heavily showcased at the Melbourne Motor Show, with presentations from all-electric brands taking centre stage.
These brands have highlighted the growing hunger for EVs that are more cost-efficient, especially given the war in Iran, which has sent the price of petrol skyrocketing.
“We are really riding a surge in demand at the moment, as many electric brands in Australia are,” Polestar Australia managing director Scott Maynard said.
“Overseas conflicts have thrown a light on Australia’s fuel situation, and more people are considering the benefits of electric vehicles.”
Polestar showed off the new Polestar 5, which is currently available overseas and set to hit Australian streets around July or August of this year.
At the Motor Show, BYD showcased the Seal 6 and an expansion to the Shark pickup range.
The Seal 6 will come in sedan and touring wagon models, priced at A$34,990 and $39,990, respectively.
Following BYD's Shark 6 premium pickup being voted Wheels Magazine's Ute of the Year in 2025, the automaker unveiled a new version of the Shark 6.
It will feature a two-litre hybrid engine with 350 kilowatts of power, 700 newton metres of torque, a 3.5-litre towing capacity, and the automaker has also added crawl mode to give the vehicle better heavy-duty off-road performance.
The new Shark 6 will be priced from $62,900 with deliveries expected in May.
“With diesel prices at record highs, the expanded Shark range provides really a further compelling value proposition to tradies, to fleets or just those outdoor adventurers,” BYD Australia COO Stephen Collins said.
Zeekr also reported growth over the past year, holding 6% market share in the EV segment. It unveiled the new Zeekr X, which is set to improve upon the performance, interior design and power of previous X models.
The Zeekr X rear wheel drive model will be available for $48,900, and the all wheel drive will be $57,900.
New-to-Australia EV brands expand
Geely, which launched in Australia in March 2025, announced that it would bring its EX2 electric hatchback to the Australian market this year.
The EX2 was China’s best-selling car in 2025. Its base model features 310 kilometres of range under China’s CLTC standard, and it will be Geely’s first rear-wheel drive vehicle to reach Australia.
“It’s coupled with a multilink rear suspension as well, so it’s not just fun to look at but also fun to drive,” said Geely Australia product manager Ashur Varde.
EX2 deliveries will begin in 2026’s third quarter. Geely will announce pricing details closer to the EX2’s release, according to Varde.
The company also showcased its Emgrand EM-i sedan and M9 SUV at the event, which are being considered for future Australian launches. Geely’s EX5 has become the second-best-selling battery EV in its segment after just one year in Australia, Varde said, with a 300% volume increase.
GAC, another China-based EV brand that launched in Australia last November, unveiled its AION UT hatchback. Preorders for the UT began last month, with the company saying it had received over 600 orders.
The UT includes 430 km of range from a 60-kilowatt-hour battery, and begins at $32,990. “It’s very clear that Australian buyers see the AION UT as a very exciting new model,” said GAC Australia CEO Cheney Liang.
Meanwhile, BYD subsidiary Denza, which entered the Australian market in December, showcased its Z9 GT electric vehicle. The Z9 GT includes ultra-fast charging, with the 10 to 97% in just nine minutes.
Its range under CLTC standards is 810 km, and it can accelerate from 0 to 100 km in 2.7 seconds. The Z9 GT will arrive in Australia in Q3.
More EV and hybrid debuts
Other car brands also took the opportunity to unveil their own EV and hybrid vehicles.
MG unveiled more than any other brand with five new vehicles.
All of the vehicles presented by MG were either EV or hybrid models and were based on feedback from Australian consumers.
JAC unveiled the new Hunter X and Hunter Pro models, which managing director Ahmed Mahmoud said were tested on Australian terrain.
“We're doing at least 50,000 kilometres of local testing,” he said.
The Hunter is a hybrid vehicle with 1.6 litres per 100 km of fuel consumption, CO2 emissions of just 38 grams per kilometre, more power and fewer emissions.
Highlights of the Renault presentation included the Symbioz and the Master. First deliveries of the Master, which comes in an electric and diesel model, are expected to commence in June.
The Symbioz is an electric vehicle that is ready to order and will be delivered in the second half of the year.
Honda also expanded its hybrid offerings across its range in 2026, with an 80% hybrid range.
“Last year, hybrid was exclusively reserved for the top of our range, but this year, we see hybrid technology spread across most of the range, with an entry price $10,000 lower than what it was last year,” Honda Australia director Robert Thorp said.
Volkswagen unveiled the new Tiguan E-Hybrid, with an EV-only range of 170 km. The car has the capability to charge from 10% to 80% in just 20 minutes.
In March, new energy vehicles made up 46% of GWM’s total sales, making it the nation's biggest seller of plug-in hybrids. GWM unveiled the Ora 5 hybrid at the Motor Show, which charges 30% to 80% in 20 minutes and will be available for delivery in late May and early June for $33,000.
