Two years ago, if you told your mates at the pub you were buying a “Deepal” or a “Zeekr,” they would have asked if you were ordering a new craft beer.

Today, these brands are reshaping the Australian automotive landscape, filling the roads with high-tech, sharply priced electric vehicles that make legacy manufacturers look like they are moving in slow motion.

But for the first-time buyer, the “Trust Gap” is real. It is the elephant in the showroom.

Will these brands still be here in five years?

Can I get parts if I crash?

Is the warranty actually worth the paper it’s written on?

The short answer is: Yes.

The long answer is that these “newcomers” are often backed by bigger industrial giants than the brands you grew up with. Here is why the new wave of EVs is out-teching the legacy brands—and why you might be safer betting on them than you think.

🛡️ The Warranty Wars: Beating the Establishment

If you want to know how confident a manufacturer is in their product, look at the warranty. In an effort to buy your trust, the newcomers have launched a “Warranty War” that has left traditional Japanese and Korean brands scrambling.

1. MG: The 10-Year Headline

MG (owned by SAIC Motor) dropped a bombshell in late 2024 by moving to a 10-Year / 250,000km warranty for its vehicles.

• The Catch: Crucially, the High Voltage Battery is often covered for a different period (typically 7 Years / 150,000km).
• The Verdict: A 10-year bumper-to-bumper warranty is unheard of. It beats Kia’s famous 7-year offer and proves MG is playing the long game.

2. Deepal: The High-Mileage Hero

Deepal (a sub-brand of Changan, one of China’s “Big Four”) has entered Australia with the S07 SUV and a warranty that targets high-mileage drivers.

• The Offer: 7-Year / 160,000km Vehicle Warranty.
• The Battery Flex: An industry-leading 8-Year / 240,000km Battery Warranty.
• The Verdict: Most competitors cap battery coverage at 160,000km. Deepal offering 240,000km suggests massive confidence in their battery chemistry.

3. BYD: The Streamlined Standard

After some initial confusion in 2022, BYD has simplified its offering to match Australian expectations.

• The Offer: 6-Year / 150,000km Vehicle Warranty.
• The Battery: 8-Year / 160,000km.
• The Verdict: While 6 years falls just short of Kia’s 7, the sheer volume of Atto 3s on the road (and the backing of Eagers Automotive) proves the support network is robust.

🏭 “Who Fixes It?” (The Dealer Network Myth)

The biggest fear for new buyers is the “orphan” scenario—the brand goes bust, and you are left with a bricked car.

But these aren’t startups building cars in a shed.

• BYD is backed by Eagers Automotive, Australia’s largest dealership group.
• Zeekr is owned by Geely, the same company that owns Volvo, Polestar, and Lotus. When you buy a Zeekr, you are buying into the Volvo supply chain.
• Deepal is distributed by huge local players (like Trivett in Sydney), meaning you are servicing your car at the same locations that service BMWs and Subarus.

The Reality: These brands are partnering with the biggest logistics networks in the country. They aren’t going anywhere.

💻 Out-Teching the Legacy Brands

The reason you should trust these newcomers isn’t just because they are cheap; it’s because they are often better at being electric cars.

While legacy brands like Toyota and Mazda are still adapting petrol platforms for EVs, brands like Zeekr and Deepal are “EV Native.”

• Vehicle-to-Load (V2L): Standard on almost every BYD, MG, and Deepal. Often an expensive option (or missing entirely) on European legacy EVs.
• Computing Power: The Zeekr X and Deepal S07 use Qualcomm Snapdragon 8155 chips to run their infotainment. This is smartphone-level processing power, making the screens faster and more responsive than the laggy systems found in some $100k German cars.
• OTA Updates: These cars improve over time. BYD and Tesla have proven that a software update can add features, improve charging speed, or fix bugs while you sleep.

🇦🇺 The Safe Bet Has Shifted

Five years ago, the “safe bet” was a Toyota. Today, in the EV world, the safe bet is the brand that offers the best battery protection and the most advanced tech.

The newcomers are hungry. They are over-delivering on specs and over-insuring on warranties to win your business.

• MG gives you 10 years of peace of mind.
• Deepal gives you 240,000km of battery confidence.
• Zeekr gives you Volvo engineering at a disruptor price.

Don’t let the badge snobbery cost you money. The newcomers aren’t just coming; they have already won the tech war.

🤖 Join the Evolution: Compare the Fine Print

Warranty terms are full of asterisks. Does the MG 10-year warranty transfer to the second owner? Is the screen covered for the full 6 years in a BYD?

Don’t sign until you check the fine print.

At EV Evolution, we have fed the official 2025 Warranty PDS (Product Disclosure Statements) for every major EV brand into our AI-Powered Chatbot.

Ask the Chatbot today:

• “Compare the battery warranty terms of the Kia EV5 vs. Deepal S07.”
• “Does the MG 10-year warranty cover commercial use or rideshare?”
• “What is the roadside assist coverage for Zeekr in Australia?”

About EV Evolution

EV Evolution is the leading online platform dedicated to Australian electric vehicle owners and enthusiasts. We foster a vibrant community, delivering essential EV news and insights, and enhancing user engagement through our innovative, AI-powered chatbot for dynamic discussions. Our mission is to empower Australian electric vehicle owners and enthusiasts by fostering a vibrant, AI-driven online community that connects, informs, and advances the nation’s electric vehicle landscape.