Australia is on track to achieve a milestone in electric vehicle (EV) sales this year, with projections indicating the country could surpass 100,000 EV sales despite challenging economic conditions.
According to the Electric Vehicle Council, recent data from the Australian Automobile Association’s EV Index reported that over 30,000 battery electric vehicles (BEVs) and plug-in hybrid vehicles (PHEVs) were sold in the second quarter of 2024.
This marks the first time Australia has exceeded this figure in a single quarter. BEVs and PHEVs now account for 9.6 per cent of all new light vehicle sales, underscoring a growing shift towards electric mobility.
Samantha Johnson, chief executive officer of the Electric Vehicle Council, hailed the figures as a record-breaking achievement.
“Australia has never had so many electric vehicles on the roads. It was a record-breaking quarter for combined battery and plug-in electric vehicle sales,” Johnson said.
Despite the broader economic pressures, including high interest rates and rising living costs, which typically impact new car purchases, the data highlights a strong and increasing demand for electric vehicles.
“The continuing strength of electric vehicle sales means Australia remains on track to hit the 100,000 EV annual sales target in 2024,” Johnson added.
Johnson emphasised the importance of ongoing government support for EVs to sustain this growth.
“These sales figures are without precedent, which is extremely encouraging given the broader economic pressures with high interest rates and the cost of living limiting people’s ability to purchase new cars,” she said.
Johnson also criticised the premature withdrawal of incentives in several states, calling for targeted programs to help more Australians transition to electric vehicles. She noted that misinformation about EVs continues to impede their adoption.
“The facts are that EVs are cheaper to own and run than ICEs, they reduce air pollution and they’re essential to reducing our carbon emissions,” Johnson said.
“We need to see the EV market grow to meet our climate targets – the National Vehicle Efficiency Standard will play a vital role but there is much more that needs to be done to reduce the nation’s transport emissions,” he concluded.
