Australia Embraces Electric Vehicles: Sales Surge to Record Highs

According to the latest data from the Australian Automobile Association (AAA), the electric vehicle (EV) market in Australia has reached new record levels as of the September quarter of 2025. Battery-electric vehicles now account for 9.7% of all new car sales, the highest proportion on record.

This surge in EV adoption has coincided with a significant drop in demand for internal combustion engine vehicles. The share of petrol-powered cars among new vehicle sales has fallen to 69.65% nationally, the lowest on record and a more than 12% decline from less than two years ago.

The Electric Vehicle Council has welcomed the growth in EV sales, but has urged state and territory governments to reinstate axed subsidies to help drive the level of sales projected to be required for Australia to meet its emissions reductions goals. The federal government has implemented policies to boost EV uptake, but the Climate Change Authority has estimated that EVs would need to account for half of all light vehicle sales over the next decade to achieve the lower end of the Albanese government's emissions reduction targets.

While the federal government's efforts are commendable, industry experts argue that a coordinated national effort, with support from all levels of government, is necessary to ensure a successful transition to electric mobility in Australia.