Electric vehicle sales in Australia surged to an all-time high in September, according to fresh figures released Friday.
New data from the Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries (FCAI) and the Electric Vehicle Council (EVC) show that a total of 106,891 new vehicles were sold in September, representing a 7 per cent increase over the same period in 2024.
Of those 106,891 vehicles snapped up by Aussie motorists, EVs represented 11 per cent of all new cars sold in the first month of Spring 2025 – a new record.
Toyota’s HiLux returned to the top spot as Australia’s best-selling vehicle in September, achieving 5,047 sales and surpassing the Ford Ranger (8,003 sales), which closely matched its September 2024 figures by three fewer units.
Tesla’s Model Y claimed third place in September, with sales more than doubling from the same month last year to 3,927 units.
This result also solidified its position as Australia’s best-selling electric vehicle, with over 17,200 units sold so far this year.
Australians have adopted the shift to electric vehicles in 2025, with 76,443 EVs sold so far this year — a sharp increase from the 69,962 recorded during the same period in 2024.
Following the Model Y top spot, BYD’s Sealion 7 recorded 1,887 sales, placing it second in EV sales for September, while the Tesla Model 3 secured 736 sales.
Plug-in hybrids (PHEVs) recorded 4,491 sales or 4.4 per cent of the market in September, lifting their year-to-date share to 4.2 per cent.
CHINA’S RISE CONTINUES
China’s rise as a source of new cars continued in September, becoming the second-largest country of origin.
After a record August result that saw Chinese brands taking four out of the 10 spots, Chinese automakers continued to post solid results in September.
Brands like BYD have seen an explosive 149.8 per cent increase in sales year-to-date, cementing China as the second-largest country of origin for new vehicles in Australia.
While Chery slipped from the top 10 to 12th place, the brand still recorded a higher month-on-month result.
Chinese-made vehicles surged 67.7 per cent year-on-year, with the Chery Tiggo 4, BYD Sealion 7, and GWM Haval Jolion remaining strong performers, all claiming spots in the top 10.
The sales boom comes as Australia faces mounting pressure to slash transport emissions.
The federal government has established a 2035 climate target that requires a 62 to 70 per cent decrease in emissions from 2005 levels.
According to the Climate Change Authority, this means half of all light vehicles sold between now and 2035 must be electric, with more than 5 million EVs needed on the road, or 20 times the number today.
Electric Vehicle Council Chief Executive Julie Delvecchio said the latest EV data indicate Australians are ready to make the switch, but warned more support is needed to reach the ambitious goal.
“Increasing EV uptake is the highway to Australia’s 2035 climate target,” she said.
“One in every two cars sold this decade must be electric. That means we need to shift gears and support more Australians to make the switch.
“We must look beyond passenger cars – decarbonising heavy vehicles is just as critical.
“Fewer emissions, cleaner air, quieter streets, fuel savings, and a more stable grid – that’s the power of more EVs on our roads.”
Earlier this week, Honda Australia’s Chief Executive Jay Joseph issued a stark warning about the rising costs of hybrid vehicles under current government policies, as reported by The Australian.
Joseph cautioned that hybrid vehicles may soon fail to meet the increasingly stringent requirements of the National Vehicle Emissions Standards (NVES), which aim to reduce emissions from newly sold vehicles by 60 per cent by 2030.
“Most hybrids, we believe, including ours, will start to be above the compliance threshold next July,” Mr Joseph said.
“We want to minimise how much we pass that along to consumers, but at some point we can’t bear those costs without passing them on to consumers.”
Joseph says Honda is committed to net-zero emissions by 2050, but policies that put upward pressure on the price of hybrids and more efficient petrol cars will deter people from buying new cars.
Honda is expecting to be 50 per cent hybrid by the end of this year, with that number rising to 75 per cent next year.
