Chinese EV Brands Expand Retail Presence In Australia

Polestar Australia and DEEPAL Australia have both announced expansions of their Australian retail operations, hoping to build brand awareness of their electric vehicle offerings and drive sales in new markets:

Solitaire Automotive Group will operate Polestar Adelaide, aiming to combine online test-drive bookings and customer enquiries with a traditional dealership experience, differing from the brand's flagship 'Spaces'. Polestar has recently introduced the Polestar 3 and Polestar 4 SUVs to Australia, and is pinning its hopes on these SUVs to dramatically increase sales after a 30% fall in 2024 to 1,713 units.

Deepal is moving into Perth, Adelaide and Brisbane, as the Inchcape-distributed brand looks to attract customers with its S07 SUV, which offers a 79kWh battery with up to 475km of range, starting from $53,900. Deepal will however have their work cut out for them; the electric SUV segment in Australia is booming at the moment with the ever-popular Tesla Model Y, BYD Atto 3 and Seal PHEV, and newcomers from Xpeng, Leapmotor and Chery newly entering the market.

Polestar’s Adelaide retail space. Image: Polestar Australia

Image: Deepal Australia