The Electric Vehicle Council has released exclusive 2021 sales figures that show Australia at the precipice of an EV economic boom – if the federal government plays its cards right this year.
Sales of plug-in electric vehicles more than tripled in the past year from 6,900 in 2020 to 20,665 in 2021. EVs now account for 1.95% market share of new vehicles, up from 0.78% in 2020.
Top 10 BEV and PHEV models:
- Tesla Model 3: 12,094
- MG ZS: 1388
- Mitsubishi Outlander: 592
- MG HS: 580
- Porsche Taycan: 531
- Hyundai Kona: 505
- Volvo XC40: 495
- Hyundai Ioniq: 407
- Nissan Leaf: 367
- Mercedes-Benz EQA: 367
EVC chief executive Behyad Jafari said the boost in sales was being driven by positive policy change at a state level and that momentum could now be built upon.
“The penny has now well and truly dropped on how good electric vehicles are. Most people in the car market will now be considering an electric option. The role of government is to help them make the jump.”
“Governments that take the path of encouragement will capture a myriad of societal benefits – cleaner air, reduced respiratory illness, smaller carbon footprint, quieter roads. Those that lag will make themselves a dumping ground for old tech, dirty vehicles. It’s great that some state governments have received the global message, but at a national level we’re stuck in the past. We desperately need the federal government to introduce Australian EV rebates alongside fuel efficiency standards, just like other developed nations. If we get these changes, you’ll see sales figures really rocket ahead.”
As a wealthy, car-loving, early-adopting nation, Australia should be an electric vehicle leader and could restart a thriving manufacturing industry supporting thousands of quality jobs. But we need to build rapidly on this current momentum.
After so many wasted years, Australia is a long way back from the pack, but then again the cool thing about electric cars is how quickly they move from zero to a hundred.
Note: EVC has exclusive access to Tesla’s official sales figures.