Based on the 500m queue to get into Sydney Olympic Park when I left, this weekend’s Everything Electric show is going to be popular. The show centres on electric cars, but also electric charging, solar, batteries, and even electric lawn mowers.
Plug-in hybrid utes are set to take off
Beyond more Chinese electric brands entering Australia is the battle for the plug-in hybrid ute. Joining BYD, Chery, GWM, and MG, new models have been announced. These are proper 4WDs with hybrid engines capable of 3.5-tonne towing, all battling it out for what has been the top-selling vehicle category for the last few years.
Also interesting: beyond Hyundai, none of the traditional top-selling car brands were present.
Vehicle-to-grid savings could be lucrative
Another trend was in the V2G (vehicle-to-grid) space, where you use your car’s battery to power your home and potentially sell power back into the grid.
Encouraging Australians to get on board, Amber has partnered with BYD to run a local trial where customers get a 6% discount on their BYD, essentially paying for the V2G infrastructure. Amber mentioned one customer on the trial making $700 one night by selling power to the grid. Although this return is rare, we will see V2G become a reality in homes soon.
Electric chargers get smarter and more plentiful
Sydney’s 2026 Everything Electric event also showed that electric car chargers are becoming more accessible. Companies like myenergi sell smart home chargers for less than $1,000 that let you harvest power from your solar panels, helping you use most of your free power from the sun. This is a big improvement in the tech at such a low price.
Ausgrid, on the other hand, is planning power-pole chargers where, no matter who your home retailer is, you can charge your car on the street and have the cost appear on your monthly home electricity bill.
Other fun things at the show, besides test-driving the latest electric cars, included an exoskeleton that reduces physical exertion by 40%, electric outboards, and an Australian-designed moped with a 120 km range and an 8 km/h top speed.
If you’re keen to take a look for yourself, Everything Electric Sydney is on now until 20 September 2026.
The post 3 biggest trends from the 2026 Everything Electric Sydney show appeared first on GadgetGuy.
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