Australians are now purchasing electric and hybrid vehicles at a similar rate to traditional petrol-powered cars, according to new data from the Australian Automobile Association (AAA). The AAA's latest EV Index shows that almost half of new car sales from April to June 2026 were electric, plug-in hybrid, or hybrid vehicles.
Sales of battery electric vehicles more than doubled in the second quarter of 2026, rising from 34,435 in the first three months to 69,414 between April and June. This marks the largest-ever quarterly increase for electric vehicles, according to the AAA. Hybrid sales also reached an all-time high during this period.
The market share for traditional internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles fell from 64.23% in the first quarter of 2026 to 50.84% in the most recent data. This represents the lowest-ever market share and the biggest-ever quarterly drop for petrol-powered vehicles.
This shift coincides with a period of instability in fuel prices, which peaked in March amid a crisis in the Middle East affecting supply routes. Fuel prices are again projected to exceed $2 a litre following the end of federal government fuel excise reductions.