Electric vehicle sales in Australia have almost tripled in a year, with battery-powered cars accounting for 23.1 per cent of new vehicle sales in October as petrol prices continued to rise.
Figures from the Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries (FCAI) showed the increase was recorded in every state and territory. Tesla sold 4,050 vehicles during the month, a 342 per cent rise on the same period last year.
Battery EVs represented 7.3 per cent of new car sales in October last year. Peter Khoury, head of media at the NRMA, said the shift towards electric vehicles had accelerated as fuel prices climbed amid the war in Iran and disruption to global supplies.
“The numbers are stark,” Mr Khoury said. “This time last year EV sales were 7.3 per cent of new cars, so that as a percentage share has tripled which is quite remarkable.”
He added: “And the flip side to that is that petrol and diesel sales are falling, so we’re continuing to see the trend really take off.”
Mr Khoury said the expansion of charging networks, together with cheaper and more efficient electric vehicles, had also contributed to the rise. He suggested many Australians had become tired of fluctuating oil prices.
He said the trend was likely to continue even if petrol prices fell sharply, as Australians typically kept their cars for about a decade and now had a wider choice of electric models and driving ranges.
“Throughout that whole period, we’ve consistently seen EV sales increasing,” he said, referring to a period when falling oil prices and a halving of fuel excise had reduced costs at the pump.
“So, is everyone going to rush out and buy a petrol car or diesel car if they declared the Iran war over tomorrow? It’s unlikely,” he said. “Given the ranges and choices that are available to Australians now, more and more Australians are seeing it as a better option.”
The figures follow third-quarter light vehicle sales data showing that combined electric and hybrid vehicle sales had overtaken those of petrol and diesel cars.
Toyota remained Australia’s most popular car brand, while Chinese electric vehicle maker BYD moved into second place, ahead of Kia, Ford and Mazda.
