In August 2026, battery-electric vehicles (BEVs) reached 27,078 sales, capturing 24.9% of the new-car market. This marks the first time BEVs have outsold both petrol (25,824 units) and diesel (23,608 units) vehicles in Australia.
BEV sales grew by 171% year-over-year. When combined with hybrids and plug-in hybrids, electrified vehicles accounted for 51.8% of the market, making it the first month that combustion-only cars became a minority.
The market is dominated by Chinese production. Seven of the eight top-selling EVs are Chinese brands, including BYD, Geely, Zeekr, and Chery's Jaecoo. Even Tesla's Model Y and Model 3, which are the other two top sellers, are manufactured in Giga Shanghai for the right-hand-drive market.
BYD secured the second position among brands with 8,231 sales, an increase of 68.8%. Tesla followed in third place with 7,685 sales, up 163%. The Tesla Model Y led the overall market with 6,414 units sold, growing 176% year-over-year.
Other Chinese models saw significant growth, such as the BYD Sealion 7, which sold 2,213 units and ranked sixth overall. The Geely EX5 experienced a jump in sales of more than 385% year-over-year.
Traditional volume brands like Toyota, Mazda, and Kia are declining. Toyota led all brands with 19,712 sales, but its volume decreased by 5.2%.
