Automotive
Electric vehicles outsell petrol cars in Australia for the first time
Driven by China-made models, battery-electric vehicles reached nearly 25% of the Australian new-car market in August.
The short version
- Battery-electric vehicles accounted for 24.9% of new car sales in Australia in August 2026, surpassing petrol and diesel models for the first time.
- Combined sales of battery-electric cars, hybrids, and plug-in hybrids made up 51.8% of the Australian market, putting combustion-only vehicles in the minority.
- All eight of the top-selling electric vehicle models in Australia were manufactured in China, including Tesla vehicles produced in Shanghai.
- The ongoing market shift is eroding market share for established legacy automakers like Toyota, Mazda, and Kia as Chinese brands expand.
Key facts
- In August 2026, battery-electric vehicle sales in Australia reached 27,078 units (24.9% market share), surpassing petrol (25,824) and diesel (23,608).[Electrek]
- Total electrified vehicle sales—including battery-electric, hybrids, and plug-in hybrids—reached 51.8% of Australia's total 108,760 vehicle sales for the month.[Electrek]
- The Tesla Model Y was the best-selling individual vehicle model overall in Australia in August with 6,414 units sold.[Electrek]
- Seven of the top eight best-selling EV models came from Chinese brands like BYD, Geely, Zeekr, and Chery's Jaecoo, and Tesla's imported models were also manufactured in Shanghai.[Electrek]
- Toyota remained the overall leading automotive brand in Australia with 19,712 sales, despite a 5.2% decline year-over-year.[Electrek]
What remains uncertain
- Whether the monthly milestone of electric vehicles outselling petrol and diesel models will be sustained in subsequent months or remains subject to monthly supply fluctuations.[Electrek]