New electric vehicle (EV) sales in Australia reached a record high in 2024, according to the Electric Vehicle Council. Photo: stock
New electric vehicle (EV) sales in Australia reached a record high in 2024, according to the Electric Vehicle Council.
The council says its own data and public sources reveal that about 114,000 new electric vehicles were sold in Australia in 2024 compared to the previous record of more than 98,000 sales in 2023.
The council says of new EV sales in 2024, about 91,000 were of battery electric vehicles (BEVs) and about 23,000 plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs); this means nearly one-in-10 new car sales were EVs (9.65%) compared to 8.45 per cent market share in 2023.
The council’s Head of Policy, Legal and Advocacy Aman Gaur says the 2024 figures set a new annual sales record for the country.
“Last year’s steady increase in EV sales and market share builds on a bumper 2023,” he says.
“Year after year, electric vehicle sales in Australia continue to climb, proving that demand for cleaner, more affordable driving is here and it’s rising.
“This growth includes an increase in the share of BEVs sold in Australia, with pure electric vehicles still making up the majority of overall EV sales.”
He describes the sales results as “encouraging” in a year with high interest rates, high cost of living and the withdrawal of some state incentives to buy EVs.
“It’s not just Australians’ desire to purchase an EV that’s driving the rise in sales,” Gaur says.
“The increase in charging infrastructure, wider range of models at more competitive prices, and the continuation of key purchase incentives all played a crucial role in encouraging the next wave of EV owners to buy.”
He says Australia still has a long way to go to achieve its targets and match adoption rates of other developed nations.
“The introduction of the New Vehicle Efficiency Standard this year is a promising step forward but accelerating momentum will also require increased investment in infrastructure, more incentives, updated regulations, nationally consistent policies, and proactive efforts to combat misinformation,” Gaur says.
