WATT MATTERS?
THE WATTCAR ARCHIVEEverything we have published. New stories first. The facts, the claims, the questions and the cars worth your attention.
A great car deserves a second opinion.
Introducing WattCar Used Car of the Year. A used plug-in car we’d spend our own money on.
POLESTAR. NOT DEAD YET.
The balance sheet has taken a beating. America is closing the door. But the cars are good, the Australian offers are sharp, and the Polestar 5 may be the clearest argument yet for why this brand deserves to exist.
Freelander. Familiar name. Bigger ambition.
Freelander used to be a model. Now it’s a brand. And its first Australian arrival is making a rather large entrance.
Is the best new EV a used EV?
A Model 3 advertised for $25,500 makes you look twice. The price gets your attention. The condition decides whether it’s a bargain.
The French have remembered how to make a small car.
Citroën’s electric 2CV concept has charm, a modest footprint and an affordable ambition. We’re listening.
YEH BABY! Please, Alpine. Build it.
The A310 Vision is a one-off concept. Which seems a terrible waste of a very good-looking idea.
Yes, it flew. Read the small print.
Tesla’s new Roadster can fly. Whether it can arrive on time is another question.
Peak petrol? Australia’s car fleet has turned a corner.
Australia now has fewer conventional petrol vehicles on its roads. Worldwide, combustion-car sales peaked years ago. What does that tell us about the cars we’ll buy next?
Plug-in hybrid: cop‑out or clever choice?
Electric for the everyday. Petrol for the long way. Could a lower purchase price make a plug-in hybrid the smarter choice?
ZEEKR 7GT: worth waiting for?
An electric wagon with a sporting brief. Finally, something that doesn’t answer every question with another SUV.
Tucson. Better than ever?
Hyundai has reinvented one of its most successful SUVs. More electric range, striking new design and plenty to like. Could the plug-in hybrid be the one to have?
Jaguar. Loud without an exhaust.
The Type 01 is a 1,015hp electric wager on design, drama and very wealthy buyers. Its engineering deserves attention. So do its size, weight and unanswered Australian price.
1,338km. Pack patience.
Audi’s single-charge record is a fine achievement. The useful question is what an efficiency marathon tells us about an ordinary journey.
The cheapest car. With a plug.
The BYD Atto 1 Essential is $19,990 drive-away. Equal-cheapest new car in Australia. Full stop.
Zeekr 9X. Business class, by road.
Six seats, a lounge-like cabin and some outrageous technology. The Australian details are the next thing we want to see.
Should you ever pay full price for an EV?
Australia has become one of the most spoilt EV markets in the world for choice. That’s great for buyers. It could get uncomfortable for everyone trying to sell us one.
912km. Ausgezeichnet.
BMW’s new i3. The start of a stronger German EV challenge?
$60,000 EV. $23,000 saving. Seriously?
Why a novated lease deserves a look before you buy.
Charging anxiety replaces range anxiety.
We stopped worrying about reaching the charger. Now we worry about what happens when we get there.
350kW. For how long?
Peak speed makes a good headline. The charging curve gets you home.
First the phone. Now the car.
A closer look at Xiaomi’s electric-car ambitions.
This is getting interesting.
The iCaur V25 gives us another reason to watch the plug-in market.
Before you buy a used EV. Seven simple checks.
You do not need to be a battery expert. Just ask a few sensible questions before handing over your money.