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As the calendar creeps towards the end of 2023, we’re going to spend this week looking back on the year that was.
That means our, now traditional, breakdown of each key segment of the market, including performance cars, supercars, adventure vehicles, bikes and, today, electric cars. While EVs may not be everyone’s ‘cup of tea’ they are becoming increasingly popular, now making up almost 10 per cent of all vehicles sold in Australia – an impressive rise from just a fraction of the market a few years ago.
EVs are now coming in a larger variety of shapes, sizes and prices, with some bringing a more performance focused driving experience. Here are our favourite electric vehicles we drove in 2023.
Kia EV6 GT
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One of our most read reviews this year was our test drive of Kia’s new performance hero. The EV6 GT is nothing like the Kia Stinger, with one exception – they are the two fastest models the South Korean brand has ever produced.
Unlike the twin-turbo V6 sports sedan Stinger, the EV6 GT is an all-electric SUV. But its dual electric motors pack an impressive punch and provide all-wheel drive traction, making for a seriously rapid machine.
Read our review of the EV6 GT here.
Rivian R1T
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Earlier this year Torquecafe got an exclusive drive of this American electric ute and came away deeply impressed. We’ll bring you an in-depth review of this in the near future, so stand by, but for now we can tell you that, while some of you will scoff at the idea of swapping a diesel or even a petrol engine for electric motors, Rivian proves it can be done.
Keeping in mind the R1T is more of a ‘lifestyle ute’ rather than a workhorse, it impressed with its performance, comfort and technology. It’s likely going to take a few more years, but Rivian seems steadfast in its plans to eventually bring the R1T (and the R1S SUV) to Australians.
MG4 XPower
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If you’d told us a few years ago that the most powerful and fastest accelerating hot hatch on the market was from a formerly British maker of lightweight roadsters which is now owned by the Chinese government I would have been shocked. The fact that it’s also electric makes it even harder to fathom.
And yet the MG4 XPower is a genuinely impressive vehicle. Packing a dual-motor powertrain with 320kW and 600Nm it’s an all-wheel drive pocket rocket that will launch 0-100km/h in just 3.8 seconds.
Mercedes-AMG EQE 53
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While Tesla dominates the sales of EVs in Australia with the increasingly plain-looking Model 3, Mercedes is sticking to what it does best and making a very luxurious sports sedan… which happens to be electric.
The EQE 53 4Matic+ is an all-electric member of the AMG family, and with good reason. This five-seat family car comes standard with a 460kW/950Nm dual-motor powertrain, but if that’s not enough you can get it turned up to 505kW/1000Nm.
So while it may lack the growling V8 soundtrack of previous AMGs this size, the EQE 53 is plenty quick enough and handles like you’d expect a Mercedes to.
Read our Mercedes-AMG EQE 53 review here.
Fiat 500e
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It’s much too expensive, isn’t super quick and doesn’t have a huge driving range – but there’s just something about the Fiat 500e that makes you love it.
It’s been introduced in a single, high-grade form so it costs $52,000, which is a lot of money for a city car. But, for anyone looking for a ridiculously cute, zippy and agile city runabout that you’ll never need to take to a petrol station, then this is perfect.
What we love about the 500e is that it proves you don’t need to make all EVs the same. This one is designed for the city, so its 311km driving range and 87lW/220Nm single electric motor is all you need.
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