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Review Great Wineries and Electric Cars
Electric cars
available in Australia 2020 Guide
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When it comes to car buying in Australia, could going green be the new black? Sales for electric cars have been growing substantially over the past 12 months, with figures sourced by the Electric Vehicle Council (EV Council) showing 6,718 fully electric (EV) and plug-in hybrid (PHEV) cars were sold in Australia in 2019. This is a 203% jump from the 2,216 sold in the previous year.
January 2020 figures from the Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries (FCAI) also indicated an increase in EV and PHEV buying in Australia, with sales in these electric car categories in the private sector up more than 54% compared to January 2019. This comes amid the continued decline of new petrol and diesel car sales, which fell by nearly 8% in the same timeframe
The EV Council said the growth in electric car sales is likely to continue throughout 2020, with nine more EV and PHEV models set to be introduced to the market by the end of this year, including several models priced under $60,000.
If you are looking to reduce your carbon footprint or save on petrol costs, what exactly are your options when it comes to electric vehicles in Australia, how much do they cost, and what are some of the key things to consider before plugging into the electric car market?
According to the EV Council, there were 22 electric vehicle models available in Australia as of August 2019. Of those 22, there were nine EVs, which are those that run exclusively on an electricity-powered battery, and 13 PHEVs, which run off both an electricity-powered battery and a small petrol-powered engine.
Here is a snapshot of some of the electric cars available in Australia, as of February 2020:
The pricing and specifications below were gathered from vehicle manufacturer websites, carsguide.com.au and caradvice.com.au. This is not an exhaustive list and should be used as a general guide only. The ‘range’ is the maximum distance a vehicle can travel on a fully charged, brand-new electric battery. A ‘standard socket’ is an existing power point used in a home. The secondary charging outlet options listed (e.g. 7.2kWh charger or Type 2 charger) are those recommended by the vehicle manufacturer, which typically must be installed in the home. Fast charge is the rate at which you can charge your electric battery at a publicly accessible fast charger or super charger outlet.
BMW i3 (2019)
The BMW i3 is a 5-seater hatchback. It was launched in Australia in 2014 and is a pure electric car, with the option to buy a range-extender gas engine. There is also a sport version, the BMW i3s. Hyundai’s Ioniq Electric is a 5-seater sedan. It was Australia’s first pure electric vehicle priced under $50,000 when it was first released in 2018.
Price from
$68,700
Range 260km
Powertrain
125kW
Battery Size
42kWh
Charge time
19 hours, 30 minutes (standard socket), 3 hours, 15 minutes (BMW i3-phase Wallbox Plus)
80% in 54 minutes
Hyundai Ioniq Electric (2020)
Fast charge
Price from
$48,490
Range
311km
Powertrain
100kW
Battery Size
38.3kWh
Charge time
17 hours, 30 minutes (standard socket), 6 hours, 5 minutes (7.2kWH charger cable)
Fast charge
80% in 54 minutes
Tesla Model 3 (2020)
According to carsales.com.au, the 5-seater Tesla Model 3 medium-sized sedan is the most affordable and mainstream pure electric vehicle available from Elon Musk’s Tesla brand. It comes in standard plus, performance and long-range models in Australia.
Nissan Leaf (2019)
The Leaf is a 5-seater hatchback, and according to Drive.com.au is the world’s bestselling pure electric vehicle. It was launched in the Aussie market in 2019.
Price from
$66,000 (standard)
Range 460kms
Powertrain
225kW
Battery Size
50kWh
Charge time
17 hours (standard socket), 6 hours (with Tesla charger)
Fast charge
Tesla claims 270km boost in 30 minutes (at super charger locations) which is approximately 59% in 30 minutes
Price from
$49,990
Range 270km
Powertrain
110kW
Battery Size
40kWh
Charge time
24 hours (standard socket), 7 hours, 30 minutes (type 2 charging cable)
Fast charge 80% in 1 hour
Other electric vehicles currently on the market
Below is the list of the other electric vehicles (EV and PHEV) currently on the Australian market, according to the EV Council. These have been listed in alphabetical order as per their vehicle category.
Pure electric vehicle (EV)
Jaguar I-Pace: from $124,100 Mercedes-Benz EQC: from $137,900 MG ZS: from $46,990 Renault Kangoo Maxi ZE: from $53,490 Tesla Model S: from $124,900 Tesla Model X: from $133,900
Plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV)
Audi Q7 e-tron: from $139,990 Audi A3 e-tron: from $62,490 BMW i8 Coupe: from $318,900 BMW i8 Roadster: from $348,900 BMW Countryman: from $57,200 BMW 330e: from $77,257 Hyundai Ioniq: from $41,990 Jaguar Land Rover Range Rover Sport: $128,200 Jaguar Land Rover Range Rover: $175,101 Mitsubishi Outlander: from $45,990 Porsche Cayenne: from $145,500 Porsche Panamera: from $280,000 Volvo S60: from $85,990 Volvo XC90 T8: from $124,900 Volvo XC60 T8: from $92,990
What electric cars are due to arrive in Australia in 2020?
Here is a list of some of the electric vehicles slated to arrive in Australia in 2020, according to Australian electric vehicle news website, The Driven, and the EV Council:
Audi e-tron EV: Available mid to late 2020 ACE Cargo EV: Available early to mid-2020 ACE Yewt EV: Available mid to late 2020 ACE Urban EV: Available late 2020 Glory EV SUV EV: Available early to mid-2020 Mini Cooper SE EV: Available mid-2020 Porsche Taycan EV: Available mid-2020 Volvo Polestar 2 EV: Available late 2020 Volvo V60 PHEV: Available in early to mid-2020 Volvo S60: from $85,990 Volvo XC90 T8: from $124,900 Volvo XC60 T8: from $92,990
4 Considerations when buying an electric vehicle
If you are thinking of going green on the road and purchasing a low-emission electric vehicle, there are a few things to consider before you buckle in.
1Can you afford the upfront cost of the car?
A recent comparison from the Queensland Government found that while electric vehicles are generally cheaper to run than petrol or diesel cars, they are typically more expensive to purchase. The EV Council said while the upfront costs of EVs are currently more expensive than conventional petrol and diesel vehicles, they will become How long your electric vehicle can travel between
more affordable with time as competition, investment charges (its ‘range’) could be important to consider,
and innovation increase in Australia. particularly in a large country like Australia. The EV Council reports that current EVs have an average
If you are looking to save on the purchase price of an battery range of approximately 480km, while the
electric vehicle, compare your options carefully and average Australian drives around 38km per day,
consider buying used. The second-hand electric vehicle meaning an EV owner could potentially go for at least
market is likely to grow as new EVs hit the market. When 10 days without a recharge.
considering a used or ex-demo model, look closely at the health of the vehicle’s battery, as it will lose capacity However, the range you see outlined by the
over its life span. manufacturer can differ to what you actually get
A qualified service from a particular EV. Factors such as the condition
technician may be able of the battery, your driving behaviour (e.g. how you
to plug in a diagnostic accelerate or brake), and the weight inside the car
tool to determine the can also impact the how far you travel on one charge. or you may be able to take the vehicle to a local car dealership for the brand of the vehicle and ask for a battery test.
2What is the car’s range, and will it suit your driving habits?
battery’s health for you, If you regularly drive further than the maximum range for an EV you are looking to buy, then you will need to
consider whether there are adequate charging options and whether this option is right for you. With a combined petrol engine and rechargeable battery, a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) can provide a longer range so may be a suitable option for those wanting to travel further and charge less.
3How much does it cost to insure an electric car?
Based on our research, most car insurers in Australia offer insurance for electric vehicles. However, insurance premiums for electric cars will typically be more expensive than cover for petrol or diesel cars. One of the reasons for this is because electric cars tend to be more expensive to buy and thus more expensive to replace, which is then reflected in the premiums you pay. In addition, because electric car numbers are still low in Australia, manufacturers may have limited facilities to repair your vehicle or source replacement parts in the event of an accident, which could lead to higher prices for repairs, particularly if parts need to be shipped in from overseas. To give you an idea of the difference in car insurance premiums between an electric vehicle and a petrolpowered vehicle, Canstar Research compared quotes
for the Hyundai Ioniq Electric Elite with the Hyundai Elantra Sport Premium. Specification-wise these two cars are comparable, however, the purchase price for the electric option is around $13,000 more expensive (at the time of writing). Based on a sample of quotes across a range of driver profiles (including ages and genders) and addresses in NSW, Canstar found that comprehensive car insurance premiums for the Hyundai Ioniq Electric Elite were, on average, 52% more expensive than the petrol alternative. It’s important to factor in these higher insurance costs when budgeting for the purchase of an EV. If you do buy an EV, it may be a good idea to shop around for an affordable policy that will meet your needs, and to look for ways you can save on your premiums, such as buying online or setting a driver age restriction.
4What are your charging options and how much do they cost?
In Australia, you can charge your electric vehicle at home or at a public charging station, and the costs involved with each vary.
At home
If you have a garage or carport, you can charge your electric vehicle at home using either a standard existing wall socket (used in combination with a specialised cable, often supplied with the vehicle) or a dedicated EV charging station (which an electrician will normally need to install). According to Car Advice, depending on your vehicle, a standard wall socket may take around 18 – 24 hours to fully charge your car, whereas a dedicated EV charger may take as little as 4 – 6 hours.
However, if you choose to install a dedicated EV charger, there may be costs involved for the electrician’s services and if the charger is not included when you purchase the vehicle. Electric vehicle charging product supplier, EVSE, said the cost of the hardware for a dedicated EV charger can range from between $1,000 to $2,500, depending on the product you choose and your vehicle requirements.
In terms of the cost to charge up your electric car at home, EVSE said the average cost of electricity is about $0.25 per kilowatt-hour (kWh) in Australia, and it takes
about 18kWh of electricity to travel 100km in your EV, working out to be approximately $4.50 in electricity charges to travel 100km. In comparison, EVSE said the average petrol car in Australia uses 11.1 litres of fuel to travel 100km, which could cost approximately $13.99 to travel 100km if you are charged $1.26 per litre.
In public
For those who need to charge away from home, such as while travelling, you will need to use a public charging outlet. Publicly accessible fast charger or super charger outlets can charge a battery at a faster rate, sometimes within 30 – 40 minutes, according to Car Advice. While some of these charging stations are free to use, others may form part of larger network and require either a paid membership to use or operate on a payas-you-charge basis.
For more information about buying electric vehicles in Australia, you can visit the Australian Government’s Green Vehicle Guide website, or you can contact your local branch of the Australian Electric Vehicle Association.
Tesla Develops $25k EV with new battery technology
Elon Musk Tesla CEO announced the production of a US$25,000 electric vehicle (EV) to market within three years. The EVs will be powered by “tabless” batteries that Tesla confirms will be cheaper and more powerful.
The risk and harm are foreseeable
The new “tabless” batteries, called 4860 cells, will provide five times more energy, six times more power and 16 per cent greater driving range. The 4860 cells are larger and will result in a 14 per cent reduction in cost per kWh at the cell form factor level. Full production is about 3 years away.
Musk explained that the greater power and costefficiency will be achieved by removing the tab that connects the cell to what it is powering.
“You actually have a shorter path length [for the electron to travel] in a large tabless cell than you have in the smaller cell with tabs,” Musk said. “So even though the cell is bigger, it actually has more power. The power to weight ratio is actually better than the smaller battery.”
The announcement of the new battery technology is significant because it determines how far the car can travel between charges, the time needed to charge it and how fast it accelerates. It is also the most expensive component of the car, and so a cheaper battery will result in a more affordable car.
“This is a massive breakthrough,” claimed Musk.
These battery updates affect Tesla’s long-haul truck Semi, pick-up truck Cybertruck and updated sportscar Roadster. However, they are not expected to reach high-volume production until 2022.
Tesla will continue to buy battery cells from Panasonic, South Korean manufacturer LG Chem and Chinese manufacturer CATL however will also make them
in-house to reduce costs, hopefully creating cheaper electric vehicles.
“It’s absolutely critical that we make cars that people can people can actually afford,” he said. “Affordability is key to how we scale.”
A US$25,000 electric vehicle would be approximately the same price as the cheapest automatic Toyota RAV4, in the US.
“We do not have an affordable car. That is something we will have in the future. But we have got to get the cost of batteries down,” Musk said.
“I think in order for us to get up to…a 25,000 car, that’s something we can do,” Musk said. “But if we work really hard, I think maybe we can do that in about 3 years.” Tesla is also planning to build a new cathode plant for its batteries in North America to reduce supply chain costs. This may make cathodes 76 per cent cheaper and reduce cost per kilowatt-hour of its batteries by 56 per cent, whilst also producing zero wastewater.
Tesla also described plans to eliminate the use of cobalt and maximise the use of nickel in its cathodes. Musk did not cite a timeframe but did state it would make Tesla’s batteries significantly cheaper.
Musk outlined that the ultimate end goal of such changes was sustainability.
SBC Wine Showcase Want to support independent Australian 98% wineries? Hearts & Bones Margaret River Sauvignon Blanc Semillon 2019
Explore exquisite flavours with homegrown gems straight from independent, Australian owned wineries from around the country. To get these great deals you can order directly from Naked Wines which cut out the middle-man and gets you the best prices on smallbatch Australian wines.
Market price $23.99
Review
The grapes for this wine were sourced from vineyards in the central and southern parts of Margaret River. Bright aromatics bring a delicacy to the wine that rounds off the signature magic of the SBS blend. All of the bright and zippy flavours continue to the very back of the palate.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F9fOESSeoAo
Ashley Horner Estelle Organic Sparkling 2019
Market price $23.99
95%
Review
It’s rare to find a certified organic wine of this quality at a price this low. Once again, Angels have made a little miracle possible & Ash has returned the favour with a sparkly gem. Made in small quantities, get ready for aromas of pears, green apples and wildflowers with a gorgeous textural palate of fresh citrus fruits.
97%
Four Men and a Shed Barossa Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon 2018
Market price
$39.99
Review
This exquisite red was open fermented, basket pressed, aged in new and older French oak hogsheads for almost 2 years. The Four Men are true believers in minimum intervention, only getting involved in the fruit when they have to. Sensational bright dark blue and black fruits with rich firm tannins and gorgeous length of ripe flavour and a deliciously soft finish.
Blindside Unconventional Margaret River Rosé 2019 90%
Market price $18.99
Review
If you’re after the perfect lunchtime companion, look no further! Winemaker Ben Gould has crafted a palate of fresh berries that is soft and creamy, making your tastebuds tingle and providing a crisp finish. No doubt you’ll be coming back for another glass!
Sam Plunkett Tait Hamilton Vineyard Shiraz 2018 97%
Market price $40.99
Review
Hand grown and picked by Tait Hamilton whose family vineyard is on the prestige soils of Heathcote this wine is vegan. Your glass will be boldly coloured with youthful magenta on the rim. Scrumptious layers of plum, blackberries, chocolate and raisins will sing along with earthy, peppery hints. Tannins are ripe and plush, lending texture to round out each powerful, flavour packed slurp!
SBC Wine Showcase
The best wineries in the Visit these cellar doors in the Yarra Valley, and make sure you buy some wine to take homeYarra Valley
The Yarra Valley is only an hour from Melbourne, making it the perfect day trip or weekend away. The region specialises in chardonnay and pinot noir grapes, which party, barbecue or just night at home.
also happen to make perfect sparkling wine. But if you know where to look, you will also find fewer common varietals, like nebbiolo, savagnin and chenin blanc.
There are 160 wineries to try in the region, from tiny mumand-pop operations to giant foreign-owned behemoths. The Melba and Maroondah highways are the biggest wine arterial roads, you will find plenty of cellar doors off These are our favourite wineries in the Yarra Valley right now, and they provide a good place to start.
Hop in your car, bring a bottle of water, and make a day of it. You will come home with bottles clanking in your boot, ready to be enjoyed at your next dinner the beaten path, if you know where to look.
For more mini-break ideas, visit our guide to Victoria’s best getaways. Alternatively, stay close to the city and discover Melbourne’s best wine bars.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uFH1iXnqAHI
Yarra Valley wineries we love
Photograph: Cass Knowlton
Helen and Joey Estate
There is a large cellar door and tasting room inside, but if the weather is good the best seats in the house are outside on the terrace, overlooking the vines and gently rolling hills. If the winery isn’t slammed, you might get lucky enough to be able to work your way through the wines on tasting in this spot. If you’d like to nosh as you sip, you can also get snacks and charcuterie, and you can of course buy a bottle or two to enjoy in your primo location – plus a few to take home. Like many in the Yarra Valley, the winery prides itself on its chardonnay, pinot noir and sparkling varietals, and these come in a range of price points. For those who like things a bit funkier, Helen and Joey Estate offers its Wild Child range – boundarypushing drops that defy categorisation. They are the result of experimentation and the winemaker’s imagination, and they are bang on trend of funky, low-intervention, skin contact and interesting.
Pimpernel Vineyards
Mark and Fiona Horrigan, who run Pimpernel, take their winemaking seriously, and their drops reflect the characteristics of the grapes. They are also serious about terroir – so serious, in fact, that Mark’s mother pocketed a couple of limestones from a pinot noir vineyard in Burgandy. When they returned to Australia, Mark had the stones analysed and subsequently buried more than 250 tonnes of similar crushed limestone in his own vineyard. The pinot noir grapes that grow above it produce some of the best pinot the Yarra Valley has to offer. Fruit is picked by hand, and little is done to it to interfere with the natural fermentation process.
Photograph: Cass Knowlton
Oakridge Wines
Oakridge Wines is a family-owned winery in Yarra Valley that is gaining renown for its restaurant. The kitchen, which is headed by chef Matt Stone along with pastry chef Jo Barrett, produces dishes highlighting produce from the kitchen garden and local growers. Guests can enjoy a meal matched with a selection of wines exclusive to the Oakridge restaurant (which was our Restaurant of the Year in 2019), or simply take in the view of the stunning vineyard – tastings overlook a pretty gorgeous vista.
Photograph: Rick Liston
Photograph: Cass Knowlton
Many Hands Winery
Tasting your way around the Yarra Valley is hungry work, and there will come a time in your day when you need to fill your stomach with something more substantial than wine tastings. When that time comes, you should kindly ask your deso to point car in the direction of Many Hands Winery, a small producer that excels at both wine and Italian food. Tastings cost $5 here, redeemable against a bottle (and you are quite likely to want to buy at least one to bring home). You can also drink a bottle or two while you get amongst wood-fired pizzas, garlic prawns, an antipasto platter or other Italian snacks and meals. If the weather is nice, you can sit outside, as a small patio abuts the vines.
Photograph: Cass Knowlton
Yering Farm
This winery doesn’t take itself too seriously, but it is serious about its product. The entry-level Farmyard series is a very approachable range, featuring playful labels of colourful animals. It is fruit forward, easy drinking wine, the kind you can crack at a barbecue and drink way too much of. Tastings here are $5, and the chardonnay and late harvest dessert wine are particular standouts at Yering Farm. But this being a former fruit farm, fruit is still a big part of what Yering Farm does. Yering offers what it calls ‘syder’, or pink lady apple cider. It’s crisp, perfectly balanced between sweet and tart, and tastes just like biting into a perfectly ripe pink lady apple.
Photograph: Cass Knowlton
Maddens Rise
The blink-and-you’ll-miss-it shed the serves as the cellar door does not have a fancy restaurant or assembly line of tastings. Instead, you’ll find a simple but beautifully finished shed (it was filled with daffodils when we visited), stunning views and a handwritten A4 sheet of paper detailing the wines on offer and their prices. There is no cost to do a tasting, and you should taste everything here. For an example of the kind of winery this is, look no further than the sparkling rosé. It’s a delicious combination of chardonnay and pinot noir grapes, fermented in French oak barrels and spending another nine months on lees in the bottle, and made using the Méthode Champenoise. It’s no slouch and has a considerable pedigree, but the winemakers here call it simply ‘pink fizz’ and say it’s uncomplicated, delicious, and perfect for anytime drinking. We agree.
Photograph: Supplied
TarraWarra Estate
TarraWarra Estate has become one of the region’s must-see destinations. Built on a hill, the winery’s
stunning contemporary architecture houses a cellar door, art gallery and restaurant that sits among the estate’s vineyard. Visit the cellar door where, for $5 a person, guests can sample wines with winemaker Clare Halloran. Try the Single Block and Reserve ranges – the best chardonnay and pinot noir produced on the Estate. Chef Troy Spencer heads up the winery’s restaurant, which uses produce from the kitchen garden and local farms. Don’t forget to visit the Tarra Warra Museum of Art before you leave to see art by contemporary Australian artists.
Domaine Chandon
The big daddy of bubbles producers in Victoria, Domaine Chandon has been crafting top-shelf sparkling wine since the days it could be called Champagne. Tastings are $12 for six, and you can choose between still and sparkling. There is also an onsite bar, so once you have tasted your fill it’s worth getting a full glass (our favourite is the sparkling pinot shiraz) and enjoying the panoramic views over the vines. You can also do a self-guided tour of the winemaking facilities, with schmick interactive displays to teach you about everything from picking to fermenting, riddling to disgorging sparkling wines. You can also see some of the winery’s real equipment, including huge tanks and presses. Photograph: Chandon
Coombe Yarra Valley
The former home of Dame Nellie Melba has been turned into an excellent restaurant and cellar door, specialising in Yarra Valley cool-climate wines like chardonnay and pinot noir. Tastings are $5, and the knowledgeable staff will guide you through a personalised tasting geared towards your personal preferences. Love lighter reds like pinot noir but not a chardy fan? Your tasting will have lighter styles and will stay away from heavy chardonnays (though you might be surprised at how zesty and light the Estate Range chardy is). If you are more of a merlot fan, the staff will give you more full-bodied reds to try. And if you buy a bottle, the tasting fee is waived. You would do well to start your day in the Yarra
Photograph: Supplied
Valley at Coombe, which offers a high tea-style breakfast from 9.30am on weekends. For just $35 each you will get a tiered stand filled with quiches, croissants, mini muffins, mini waffles, mini French toasts and brownie bites. It comes with a glass of blanc de blanc sparkling, as well as tea or espresso coffee. It’s the perfect way to start a busy day of wine tasting.
Photograph: Supplied
Giant Steps
Healesville cellar door and restaurant Giant Steps is named after saxophonist John Coltrane’s 1960 album of the same name. Owner Phil Sexton, a massive jazz fan, named his wines in the jazz musician’s honour. The winery is a large space split up into a wine bar and dining area towards the front, and an open kitchen and barrell hall in the back. The barrell hall is where you can taste the single vineyard wines Giant Steps is known for, such as winemaker Steve Flamsteed’s chardonnays, which have set the benchmark for the Yarra Valley region.
