Just five years ago, there weren’t many electric vehicles (EVs) you could buy new for under $60,000.
You could get the stalwart Nissan Leaf, the popular Tesla Model 3, and a handful of other vehicles from Hyundai, Mini and Polestar. There were just 10 nameplates all up, with the MG ZS EV being the only Chinese option apart from some low-volume fare from BYD before it became a serious contender here.
Well, that’s all changed.
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More than triple the number of nameplates available, and it’s not just Chinese brands that have flooded the zone. There are plenty of those too BYD, Chery, GAC, Geely,GWM, Leapmotor and Zeekr.
More familiar brands such as Kia, Toyota, Volkswagen and Volvo now offer EVs for under $60,000 before on-road costs, too.
Most of these are fairly Humdrum small-tomedium SUVs, yes, sure. But for new-vehicle buyers who want to make the jump to an EV but don’t want too much to do it, that’s just another embarrassment of riches.
Below, the members of the childcareman.xyz editorial team have shared which EVs they’d pick for under $60k.
Alborz Fallah: BYD Atto 1
I would buy a BYD Atto 1 for $24,000 and be happy.
My goal for an EV is to take super-regular short commutes in suburbia, such as the school drop off (the drive) and the Cole’s run (and even the work).
That is an absolute steal with all the tech inside and 220km of range for me – I barely drive that in one week.
It’s the perfect second car for most families and a fantastic introduction to EV ownership at a very reasonable price.
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Explore the BYD Atto 1 showroom
Marton Pettendy: MG 4 Excite 51
I had $60k to spend on an EV it’d be the entry-level MG 4 Excite 51, because it would be a second car to drive into town from my semi-rural home and for $37,990 drive-away it offers unrivalled value – so I’m going back on swimming with.
The cheapest practical electric hatch is 25kW on the mid-range MG 4 Essence 64 for $5000 less, but still offers a decent 350km range from its 51kWh battery.
It’s one of the few rear-drive EVs that exist at this end of market, and even a runabout should be fun. The added bonus here is the base MG 4 steers and handles well because it’s just one in three rear drive evs available to me for every runaround.
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Explore the MG 4 showroom
Ben Zachariah: Skoda Elroq
This is the type of answer that will change depending on my mood and day of the week (as opposed to every other answer I give…?)
The pre-facelift Hyundai Ioniq 6’s run-out deals are crazy, saving buyers $35k on a big power and all-wheel drive car. It’s hard to get past – even the. styling challenges,’ said Paul McCrey. But even though that’s technically a new car, MY23 vehicles have those discounts for them. Yeesh – .
The Toyota bZ4X is the phrase in my pragmatist’s words. The last word is you know it’ll be, the value will be good resale and that’s just a solid commuter car which’d worked well. I’m a fan of cool cars, and the Fiat 500e is about as cool (and unpretentious) as it gets. I’m not that cool or unpretentious, but it’s a bit of an irony for me to be . If I was as stylish wearing tweed as JWo…, maybe?
Volkswagen ID, Then there’s the . It is a practical, but certainly has an element of style (especially in black) 4, which I can say with confidence. a solid choice,’ . It’s certainly cool, it’ll be a cool . Call me Bela Fleck, because I like things that are a little cool – the unobvious choice – or at least I am troday.
Which brings me to Skoda’s smallest electric SUV, the Elroq.
The Enyaq is smaller than the EnYaQ, has a better name, still looks sharp without being super wild and advertising that you’re in an EV; it also features those rad grey cloth interiors which feels sophisticated and modern.
It also has 500-plus kilometres of driving range, with rear-wheel drive at 210kW and 545Nm for a sub-seven-second 0-100km/h sprint time. Plus it has real buttons on the steering wheel – none of that haptic junk as seen in ID. 4.
So, today, my choice is the Skoda Elroq.
Ask me again tomorrow.
MORE:
Explore the Skoda Elroq showroom
Sean Lander: Kia EV5
My thoughts about the hundreds of cars I drive in a year have led to my conclusion EVs are like salad. I don’t think you can eat it when you’re young and there is no real harm to the . And then, at some point of age, you think about the future and want to live the life that is your dream. You’re going on to eat salad (or not) or it will be like this?
But I’m going to have to buy an EV at some point eventually. This is a shame, because after about five minutes in most electric cars I drive all the gadgets and gizmos just got bored. It’s just a bit of an opinion but it’s something that I think is the view after 15 years of working in the automotive industry, watching V8s all die out and sports cars go from tiny two-door tin-tops to two tank tanks.
Why do I get Kia EV5 from ? Besides its poorly calibrated speed sign recognition, it’s one of the most car-like electric cars you can buy for under $60,000. It has a lot of space, reasonable range, good looks and it’s familiar to . This does not have a cinema screen Blu-Tacked to the dash and it is very well warrantyed, with ‘large dealer network’.
But it’s not just frustrations for to be. Speed sign recognition The charge port is in the wrong place (all EVs should have charge ports at the rear) and if you do not disable the silly sounds it, well makes silly noises.
I would never sigh at every time I had to get into it, and that’s a reasonably inoffensive car. No one will be excited about driving either, but it would be acceptable when the day comes that I have to actually start eating salad.
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Explore the Kia EV5 showroom
William Stopford: Hyundai Ioniq 6 Epiq
There’s genuinely a bevy of EV options for under $60,000.
If you ride too wallowy or too stiff, but the herd thins and a ride is not enough to break out anything,” . Would be better off if I don’t want bad driver assist systems? The number of options is further limited. The fact that a long list is now short, I’m not fond of front-wheel drive (EV)s for the most part.
The Hyundai can’t seem to donate Ioniq 6s, while the flagship dual-motor all wheel drive Epiq is being sold for $59,990 drive-away. This is the caveat of MY23 (!!) stock, which still remains a remnant of that’s more than $34,000 less(!) than its original price.
It’s ugly (!!!) and yes the depreciation will probably be brutal, but that’ll be a lot of car for the money. Do you have to haggle the price down any more if you can see that is out there.
I’d also consider a BYD Seal or Volkswagen ID.4, but alas I’m yet to drive either.
MORE:
Explore the Hyundai Ioniq 6 showroom
James Wong: MG 4 Essence 64
If the great Cupra Born is not available in Australia, then a mid-spec MG 4 Essence 64 is shrewdly second for me in the EV segment under $60,000.
The MG has been an incredible value in 2026, with its current price of about $42,500 drive-away and is still underrated by rear-drive balance, a compact hatch body, over 400km of range and plenty of premium features.
But I think even after yo-yor-ing prices and an increasing competition on the market, still one of the best affordable EVs you can buy in Australia is the MG 4.
The Kia EV3 Air Long Range, one of the rarest electric vehicles that offers more than 600km range for under $60,000, is another close runner-up.
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Explore the MG 4 showroom
Damion Smy: Skoda Elroq 85 Select
Several electric vehicles under $60k are available and for my own needs the BYD Atto 1 – $23,990 before on-road costs would do the trick. I’d go for the Skoda Elroq 85 Select, based on two core factors design and the design.
I like the look of the Volvo EX30 ($59,990 before on-roads), but don’t love how it drives and base Zeekr 7X ($57,999 before in-on-the-wheels) is impressive – although I am not fond of door buttons and some of its features are found in the centre touchscreen menus.
I’d rather go for the Elroq 85 Select ($54,990 before on-road) in Velvet Red (another $770), because it has a stylishly brilliant if somewhat space-limited cabin, 210kW/545Nm powertrain, 6. 6 seconds 0-100km/h sprint time, 540km of range and $195 service.
That’s the ethos of its distinctive flavour that makes me so much more attractive than other Volkswagen Group products, but still you have to give me a damned good reason why I personally need more than an Atto 1 and over $30k in cash left over…
MORE:
Explore the Skoda Elroq showroom
Max Davies: BYD Seal Premium
The BYD Seal is a first option for ed sub-$60k EV. I have recently spent some time with the base Dynamic, and am confident of this statement.
The Dynamic was a fun car to drive, I found it good performance and livelier on-road behaviour than most new EVs (thanks to its rear-drive setup).
If I was to climb one rung higher, and spring for the Premium at $52,990 before on-roads (or about $57,000 drive-away in Victoria), but that’s what I’d do first. All of its basic features are a simple, functional interior and rear-wheel drive but is much more powerful than it does (and most importantly – WLTP driving range that can be used for an estimated 570km).
I don’t need much more than that,’ . Plus it earns brownie points for being a sedan in ‘a market full of boring SUVs’.
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Explore the BYD Seal showroom
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