Welcome to Cardinkum — Fair Dinkum Car Data for Australia

Why We Built Cardinkum

Australia’s EV market is growing faster than ever. In 2025, electric vehicles accounted for over 10% of new car sales for the first time, and 2026 is shaping up to blow past that number. With over 80 electric models now available — and more arriving every quarter — Australians have never had more choice.

But more choice has created a new problem: information overload, with no single trustworthy source.

Manufacturer websites bury critical specs in PDF brochures. Comparison sites are funded by dealer commissions, so their “recommendations” come with hidden incentives. The handful of professional databases that do exist charge thousands of dollars per year for access — pricing out consumers, journalists, and small businesses.

Meanwhile, the influx of Chinese brands — BYD, MG, GWM, Chery, Zeekr, and more — has created a genuine information gap. These manufacturers make excellent vehicles at sharp prices, but many Australians can’t find reliable, independent information about them. Is the warranty really that good? What’s the real-world range? How does the charging experience compare?

What Cardinkum Does Differently

We built Cardinkum on three principles:

Every spec is cited. Every data point in our database links back to its source — the manufacturer’s spec sheet, government certification, or official pricing page. If we can’t cite it, we don’t publish it. Full transparency, no guesswork.

Every price is transparent. We show the manufacturer’s recommended retail price (MSRP), and where available, drive-away pricing. No “call for pricing” games. No hidden dealer margins influencing what we show you.

Every cost is real. Our running cost calculator uses actual electricity rates, real registration fees by state, and genuine insurance estimates. Not averages pulled from thin air.

What’s Coming

Cardinkum is more than a spec database. We’re building a platform where Australian EV owners share real-world data — actual range figures, real charging experiences, and honest ownership costs. Community data, verified and cited, alongside manufacturer claims.

We’re also working on an open API and MCP server so developers, journalists, and AI tools can access Australian EV data programmatically. We believe this data should be accessible to everyone.

This is just the beginning. If you care about transparent, independent vehicle data for Australia, we’d love to have you along for the ride.

Fair dinkum.