Overview
- Sales more than doubled in the three months to June 30, 2026, lifting combined electric and hybrid market share to about 49% and pushing fully electric vehicles above a 21% share.
- Battery‑only sales rose from 34,435 to 69,414 quarter‑on‑quarter while non‑electric cars fell to roughly 50.8% of new‑car sales.
- Industry and media link the spike to a fuel‑price shock after US‑Iran hostilities and the effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz, together with an influx of lower‑cost EV models and growing charging networks.
- The federal government moved in May to wind back the 2023 fringe‑benefits tax discount, keeping full exemption for EVs under A$75,000 from April next year and applying a 25% FBT discount to higher‑priced vehicles and broader thresholds from 2029.
- Dealers are asking for stronger consumer protections for imported EVs, the temporary fuel excise cut is due to end in early August, and the shift is likely to spur further investment in charging infrastructure and reshape petrol demand for drivers and fleets.