The Electric Vehicle Council has released a comprehensive 144-page report tracking a decade of electric vehicle progress across Australia. The analysis highlights rapid acceleration in the local adoption of battery electric vehicles and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles, alongside insights into infrastructure expansion and shifting commercial vehicle segments.
Market Growth and Top-Selling Models
According to the Electric Vehicle Council, both BEV and PHEV sales doubled when comparing the first half of 2025 with the latter periods, with a new EV sold in Australia every 100 seconds. The report establishes a prevailing 2:1 ratio between BEVs and PHEVs. Total BEV numbers on Australian roads reached 612,000, supporting a national target of 5 million BEVs by 2035. Over the preceding 12 months, the top five best-selling plug-in electric vehicles comprised the Tesla Model Y at 20,400 units, the BYD Sealion 7 at 12,500 units, the BYD Shark 6 PHEV at 9,500 units, the Geely EX 5 at 6,800 units, and the Jaecoo J5 at 6,000 units.
Public Charging Infrastructure and Fleet Adoption
Public charging networks continue scaling to meet demand, supported heavily by widespread home charging habits. Australia features 4,268 AC and DC public charging locations—an 18% year-on-year increase—and 11,600 public connectors, representing a 31% growth compared to the previous year. Vehicle class uptake displays sharp disparities, led by buses, where 32% of new bus sales in H1 2026 were battery electric. In contrast, passenger vehicles accounted for 26%, while vans and trucks lagged significantly at 1%. The commercial sector currently offers 16 different electric vans and 30 truck models.
Pricing Trends and Affordability
Vehicle affordability is shifting downward across multiple categories. The BYD Atto 1 has emerged as the lowest-priced car across any drivetrain category in the market at under AU$20,000. In the commercial van segment, three new models have launched below AU$50,000, narrowing the price gap with diesel equivalents. Price leaders in this category include the LDV eDeliver 5 from SAIC, followed by the Geely Farizon V7E, with year-to-date sales through August reaching 46 and 83 units respectively.
Practical Takeaway
European buyers tracking global EV trends can observe how rapid local infrastructure deployment, expanding commercial segments, and falling entry-level price points below AU$20,000 accelerate mainstream consumer transition away from traditional combustion engines.
Source: Original report