Strongest month for EVs

Sales of electric cars in Australia increased significantly in March to hit their highest share of the market to date.

A total of 15,839 battery EVs from all sources were sold last month, accounting for 14.6 per cent of total sales. By comparison, they accounted for 7.5 per cent of sales in March 2025. Overall, 105,058 vehicle sales were recorded in March 2026, down by 3.3 per cent.

Tony Weber, chief executive of the Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries, says March showed strong growth in EV demand but cautioned the increase may reflect short-term influences.

“It is too early to determine whether this represents a structural shift in the market,” adds Weber, pictured. “More consumers are considering EVs due to the disruption to fuel supply caused by conflict in the Middle East, along with the review into the fringe-benefits tax concession for EVs.

“The automotive industry would welcome a sustained shift to EVs given its substantial investment in bringing more than 100 EV models to Australia and the industry’s efforts to meet ambitious NVES [new-vehicle emissions standard] targets.

“A long-term shift to EVs will require Australian governments to sharpen their focus on public-charging infrastructure, particularly in regional areas and locations where home charging is not practical. Ensuring infrastructure keeps pace with demand will be critical to enabling sustainable growth in EV adoption beyond short-term influences.”

Last month’s top models across the ditch were the Ford Ranger with 4,452 units, Toyota’s Hilux on 4,167, Nissan’s X-Trail on 2,438, Mitsubishi’s Outlander with 2,318 and Hyundai’s Kona on 2,316.