The price of electric cars has been coming down, and the 2026 Chery E5 is a good example of just how far things have moved.
This five-seat electric SUV combines a claimed 430km driving range with 155kW of power, plenty of standard equipment and a long warranty. It’s practical enough for everyday family life, quick enough to be entertaining and compact enough to feel at home around town. On paper, that’s a lot of car. But the E5 isn’t entering an empty market. There are now plenty of affordable EVs competing for the attention of Australian buyers. So, is the Chery E5 actually a smart buy — or is there a reason it’s so affordable?
2026 Chery E5: Quick verdict
Motor Scout rating: 8/10
The E5 is one of those cars that makes you stop and reconsider what you actually need from a new car. It’s comfortable, well equipped, practical enough for a small family and has enough range to make EV ownership realistic for most daily driving. It’s not perfect. DC charging could be faster, and buyers who regularly travel long distances will need to think carefully about charging infrastructure. But if you can charge at home, the E5 makes a surprisingly strong case for itself.
The Chery E5 in a nutshell
Seats: 5
Power: 155kW
Range: Up to 430km WLTP
Drivetrain: Front-wheel drive
0–100km/h: 7.6 seconds
DC charging: Up to 80kW
Vehicle warranty: 7 years, unlimited kilometres
Battery warranty: 8 years, unlimited kilometres
What’s the Chery E5 actually like to live with?
This is probably the most important question to ask about the E5. It’s easy for a new EV to look impressive on a specification sheet. But if you’re considering one as your everyday car, what really matters is whether it fits into your routine. And this is where the E5 does well. It’s compact enough to feel comfortable around town, but you still get the higher driving position and practicality of an SUV. There’s room for five, the cabin is packed with technology and the electric drivetrain makes stop-start driving particularly easy. There’s no engine noise, no gear changes and no need to think about fuel stations if you’re charging at home. For the daily commute, school run or trip to the shops, that’s a pretty compelling combination.
Is the Chery E5 a good first EV?
For someone making the jump from petrol to electric, the E5 has plenty going for it. The 430km claimed range means you’re not dealing with the kind of limited range that once made affordable EVs difficult to recommend. And if you can install a home charger, most of your charging can happen while you’re asleep. That changes the ownership experience considerably. Instead of stopping at a petrol station every week, you can start most mornings with a charged car. Of course, that’s dependent on having somewhere to charge. If you live in an apartment or rely entirely on public chargers, we’d recommend looking into your local charging options before buying.
What’s the Chery E5 like inside?
The E5’s interior is one of the places where Chery has clearly tried to give buyers more for their money. The dashboard is dominated by dual 12.3-inch displays, while the overall design feels modern and tech-focused. The equipment list is generous, too.
The E5 Ultimate includes features such as:
- Heated front and rear seats
- Heated steering wheel
- Power tailgate
- Power sunroof
- Wireless phone charging
- Apple CarPlay and Android Auto
- Eight-speaker Sony sound system
- Ambient lighting
You don’t have to climb to the top of a long range to get the good stuff, either. The Australian range has been simplified to the E5 Ultimate. That makes the buying decision refreshingly straightforward.
Is the E5 practical enough for a family?
If you’re looking for a compact family SUV, the E5 makes sense. It’s not enormous, but that’s arguably one of its strengths. You get five seats without having to drive a huge SUV every day, and the cabin has enough room for the usual combination of passengers, shopping and family clutter. There’s also a full-size spare wheel — something you don’t always get with an EV. If you’re regularly carrying a lot of luggage or have older kids who need plenty of rear-seat space, we’d recommend taking one for a test drive and checking it works for your family. But for a couple or small family, the E5 should cover most everyday needs.
How does the Chery E5 drive?
With 155kW from its electric motor, the E5 isn’t short on performance. Chery quotes 0–100km/h in 7.6 seconds, which is more than enough to make the E5 feel lively around town. The instant response you get from an electric motor is particularly useful in everyday driving. There’s plenty of immediate acceleration when pulling into traffic, overtaking or getting away from the lights. It’s not a performance car, and it doesn’t need to be. The E5 is at its best when it’s making everyday driving feel easy.
What about range and charging?
The E5 has a claimed 430km WLTP range. That’s enough to make the E5 a realistic everyday car for most Australian drivers. If your daily commute is 40 or 50km, for example, you’re not going to be worrying about the battery every time you get behind the wheel.
The bigger consideration is charging. The E5 supports DC fast charging at up to 80kW, with Chery quoting around 28 minutes to go from 30 to 80 per cent. That’s fine for the occasional road trip stop, but it’s not particularly quick compared with some newer EVs. For an owner who charges at home, however, that may barely matter.
Is the Chery E5 safe?
Safety is another area where the E5 has a strong story. It has a five-star ANCAP safety rating and comes with a comprehensive suite of driver-assistance technology.
Features include:
- Autonomous emergency braking
- Adaptive cruise control
- Blind-spot detection
- Lane-keeping assistance
- Traffic Jam Assist
- Emergency Lane Keeping
- Front and rear cross-traffic assistance
There are also seven airbags.For a car likely to be used for commuting and family duties, that’s an important box ticked.
What’s the warranty like?
Chery offers a seven-year, unlimited-kilometre vehicle warranty and an eight-year, unlimited-kilometre battery warranty. That’s a significant part of the E5’s appeal. For buyers who are nervous about moving into EV ownership, a long warranty can make the decision feel considerably less risky. It’s also worth remembering that the battery is one of the most expensive components of an EV, so battery warranty coverage is particularly relevant.
What are the downsides?
The E5 gets a lot right, but it isn’t perfect.
Charging speed
80kW DC charging is usable, but faster-charging rivals are becoming increasingly common.
Front-wheel drive
There’s no all-wheel-drive option, so buyers looking for extra traction will need to look elsewhere.
It’s still a compact SUV
The E5 is practical, but it isn’t going to replace a large seven-seat SUV for a growing family.
Long-distance driving
If you’re regularly travelling hundreds of kilometres at a time, charging infrastructure and charging speed become much more important.
Who should buy the Chery E5?
The E5 makes the most sense for someone who:
- Wants to switch from petrol to electric
- Can charge at home
- Does most of their driving around town or the suburbs
- Wants an SUV rather than a small hatchback
- Wants plenty of standard equipment
- Doesn’t need seven seats
- Wants a long warranty
If that sounds like you, the E5 is worth a serious look. If you regularly tow, travel long distances or don’t have easy access to charging, there are other cars that may suit you better.
Is the 2026 Chery E5 worth buying?
The E5’s biggest achievement isn’t that it’s the fastest, longest-range or most technologically advanced EV on the market. It’s that it makes the idea of owning an EV feel pretty normal. You get five seats, SUV practicality, plenty of performance, a useful driving range and a cabin packed with equipment. And if you’re charging at home, the everyday ownership experience could be remarkably simple. That’s ultimately what makes the E5 interesting. It’s not asking you to completely change how you live just because you’ve bought an electric car.
Motor Scout verdict
8/10
The Chery E5 is a strong example of how quickly the affordable EV market is evolving.
It’s well equipped, practical, comfortable and has enough range for the majority of everyday driving.
The charging speed could be better, and it’s not the car we’d choose for frequent long-distance touring, but those limitations won’t matter to everyone.
For the right buyer — particularly someone who can charge at home — the E5 could be one of the easiest and most affordable ways to make the switch to electric.
Thinking about buying a Chery E5? Motor Scout can negotiate competitive drive-away quotes from our nationwide dealer network, so you can compare your options without having to negotiate with dealerships yourself
