Australia is weighing the risks as Chinese EVs take over its roads

Concerns about security and overdependence on China remain, but Canberra is keen to resolve them as the electric vehicles help it fight inflation and keep emissions down.

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Australian drivers have started to buy Chinese-made electric vehicles due to their cheap prices and growing consumer confidence about their reliability.

Australian drivers have started buying Chinese-made electric vehicles because of their lower prices and growing consumer confidence about their reliability.

PHOTO: REUTERS

On May 31, a cargo ship, BYD Zhengzhou, docked in Melbourne after making a historic voyage from Shanghai and began unloading its freight: 4,809 new electric and hybrid vehicles.

The arrival of the ship – the first custom-made vessel to deliver cars to Australia – made national news, sparking headlines that proclaimed it would “rewrite history” and “change Australia’s future”.

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