How Do You Sell an EV into Australia’s Crowded Market?

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As the list of electric vehicles entering the Australian new car market goes ever longer, I thought it might be worth looking at how these cars are being marketed to the public. There are very few EV advertisements on free to air TV. This is not surprising, as most younger people no longer watch it. Most of the advertising we are seeing for new electric cars is through our Facebook feed. Though, utility companies are featuring EV charging in their TV ads for new customers.

Just this year, new cars have been launched by Kia (EV3, EV4), Hyundai (Inster), Geely (EX5), Deepal (E07), Volkswagen (ID. Buzz), MG (S5 EV), and Zeekr (X, 009). And more are yet to come from South Korea, China, and Europe. How do they compete? Is it all design, gimmicky tech, and price? As I have said previously — acceleration, safety features and tech seem to be similar every time we look at a new car. Zero to 100, such a huge selling point for early Teslas, doesn’t seem to be “a thing” anymore. All EVs are fast!

So, how do they differentiate? Perhaps it is warranty, currently ranging from 6–10 years? Why buy an X and not a Y — or any other letter of the alphabet? Don’t get me started on the ridiculous number + weird letter combinations of car names. I miss the simple days of the Ford Falcon and the Holden Kingswood, so much easier than BZ4X or whatevah.

Let’s consider some ads:

In plugging its MG ZS EV replacement, the MG S5 EV, MG points to the future: “next generation of electric driving.” The ad emphasizes fast charging (30–80% in under 20 minutes), the sunroof, and 30 storage spaces. [Plenty of spots for kids to hide their half eaten snacks and lolly wrappers!] “With a sleek 12.8″ infotainment screen and intuitive tech throughout, and the MG S5 EV delivers style & innovation in one impressive package.” But why would I buy this and not one of the many other vehicles with similar features?

Kia is offering extended test drives — 3 days — which is a lot longer than the usual 30 minutes around the block. Having driven and reviewed many EVs over the past several years, I can say that 30 minutes is not nearly long enough. Many people (myself included) are still learning what their car can do after over 100,000 km of driving. Coming straight from petrol/diesel to EV is a steep learning curve, as evidenced by Facebook group conversations every time a new car is released and a new group set up. I am currently watching the chats on the new Geely group.

Geely advises us to “Feel the exhilaration that 1 year’s complimentary public charging, a free home charger, and other exclusive offers can give you” with the EX5. The video below does a good job of expanding the sales message: The car is parked on a beach, presumably in Australia— it is a hot day. We see a man in bare feet using his phone app to turn on the AC and open the door. He then runs across the scorching sand (we’ve all done this) to get into his cool, safe, teched up car. Watch the video here or embedded below. 

On many of the other ads were comments from people who have looked at the EX5 and said they preferred it to the subject car of that particular commercial.

Kia advertising emphasizes the spacious interior of the EV3. The photo shows the dashboard and steering wheel. Not all of these ads gave the opportunity for the general public to comment. Those that did received their fair share FUD and hate. One responder asked: “Will it still be going in 30 years?” Who knows, but there aren’t that many cars currently on the highway that are that old. Unless there is a car club veterans’ day nearby. Another picked up the theme and named a few ’80s cars that he preferred to electric. He alleged that these were still “going strong.” This was rebutted simply by “Where?” As of writing, the “Smaller car – smaller fire” comment was unanswered. Visit EVFireSafe for more.

One responder called EVs the DVDs of the car industry, predicting that hydrogen fuel cell cars would soon overtake them. An encouraging trend is the number of EV drivers getting involved on these forums and rebutting the negative comments. The car dealers/makers themselves appear to have adopted the “Don’t feed the trolls approach.”

Another ad that attracted a lot of negative attention was that of Zeekr. The Zeekr messaging was: “Compact in form. Limitless in attitude. This is Zeekr X.” That was accompanied by a stylish photo. Many of the names attached to this appeared to be the same as the posters in previous ads. Must be their full-time job! One crystal ball gazer announced: EVs won’t be mainstream till 2070 to 2080.

Peugeot tells us they have limited stock of their e-308, so we better get in quick for the AU$59,990 drive-away bargain. Elegance electrified. The photo shows the car being charged up. Sorry, Peugeot, but there are better bargains out there. Polestar ads don’t even tell us it is an EV. Maybe they don’t have to if “Time well spent is true luxury.”

The Volvo ad is shown on free to air television. As you would expect, it emphasizes safety. But to me it is controversial as it depicts an inattentive driver almost hitting a pedestrian. She is saved by the car. You can watch it here or embedded below.

Leapmotor tells us that: “The Leapmotor C10 delivers full performance, intelligent tech, and serious value — all backed by a 6-year warranty. Smart power, sleek design.” They tell us that we can save $4,000 by buying last year’s demo models — but don’t tell us the price. They tout a 30–80% charge in 18 minutes, beating MG by 2 minutes. The photo in the ad shows the front seats laying down — “Activate Nap Mode.” A car you can charge fast and sleep in — but not while you are driving, I hope.

Deepal tells us that the SO7 has a 5-star safety rating and invites us to touch the future. We did recently, see our article via that link. This ad allowed comments and attracted almost 200, the vast majority of which were positive. All the negative comments were refuted! They seemed to revolve around ignorance, misinformation, and a large dose of Sinophobia. “Is it still safe when charging?” “No good out in the bush.” “More Chinese rusting landfill.”

Some Australians don’t realise that these electric cars from China (like the ICE ones from Japan previously) are built with Australian iron ore and powered by Australian lithium.

One valid point, methinks, is the issue around availability of spare parts. This has proven a problem in the past, but has been resolved as each new car brand builds out its service network.

The all-new Omoda E5 ad tells us the battery size and range: “featuring a 61kWh battery with blade cell design and 430km range (WLPT) on a single charge.” But little else is shared.

As Australia comes up to the end of the financial year, expect lots of offers. If you don’t hear of them, ask your preferred dealer. Expect to get: a free charger, free charging, free servicing, etc. — maybe even a goodie bag with branded coffee cup.

As well as car ads on my Facebook feed, there were many ads from finance companies encouraging new car owners to take up a novated lease (Australia has generous tax incentives if you lease an EV). These ads featured several of the cars listed above. Missing from the ads was an answer to the last remaining pressing question around EVs. It would be good if there was a direct refutation of EV fire risk and a statement regarding battery degradation.

So, how do you sell an EV into Australia’s crowded market? I think value for money trumps style, elegance, and pedigree. I am expecting downward pressure will be placed on legacy brands and we may be pleasantly surprised at how European and South Korean brands react. Then again, there are now many factors at play. For example, Tesla doesn’t advertise at all and they are still the highest selling EVs in Australia.