EVs continue to ride the sales boom in April: Almost one in six new cars sold were zero emissions battery electric
Electric vehicle sales have surged to record levels in Australia as the oil price spike drives demand, accounting for 16.4 per cent of all new vehicle deliveries in April 2026.
That equates to roughly one in six of all sales, with 15,459 EVs registered last month. That’s up 157 per cent compared to the same month in 2025.
It is the second month in a row of booming EV sales as Aussie new car buyers come to terms with petrol and diesel price hikes driven by the Middle East war.
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Overall, according to combined Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries and Electric Vehicle Council data, a total of 94,049 new vehicles were sold in April, up 3.0 per cent year-on-year.
The standout performer in the EV space was the BYD Sealion 7 (pictured top), which not only finished as Australia’s top-selling electric vehicle but also broke into the overall top 10, placing seventh outright with 1780 sales for the month
BYD also recorded its strongest ever monthly result in Australia, finishing second overall in the brand standings behind Toyota with 7702 sales and an 8.3 per cent market share for April, underlining the rapid rise of Chinese manufacturers in the local market.
Other strong selling EVs in April included the Geely EX5 (1202), Zeekr 7X (973), Kia EV5 (794) and Jaecoo J5 (692). Ther vastly improved Toyota bZ4X also posted its best ever monthly result with 483 sales. It’s already sold more examples in 2026 than in all of 2025.
While the Tesla Model Y slipped down the monthly charts in April with 822 sales, it remains Australia’s top-selling EV in 2026.
More broadly, the latest data shows a mammoth 270.2 per cent boost in PHEV sales from a low base. BYD accounted for almost one third of them with more than 3000 BYD Shark 6, Sealion 8 and other plug-ins sold.
A 27.1 per cent climb for hybrids, was also recorded the latter primarily driven by the new Toyota RAV4, which was Australia’s top-selling vehicle (3729) in April.
Petrol-powered vehicle sales were down 30.1 per cent for the month and diesel 21.7 per cent.
Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries chief executive Tony Weber said the increase in EV supply, combined with government support and external market factors, is now clearly translating into higher uptake.
“The increase in supply of EVs since the introduction of the New Vehicle Efficiency Scheme, combined with higher petrol prices and the continued support provided through the Federal Government’s Electric Car Discount, is now translating into stronger demand,” he said .
Weber also welcomed confirmation that the Electric Car Discount will continue, describing it as a key factor underpinning recent growth.
“There are around 110 EV models available to Australians, and the supply of EVs continues to increase. The Electric Car Discount has provided important stimulus to the market, and its continuation will support the growth of EVs,” he said .
However, he warned that infrastructure investment will need to keep pace with rising demand.
“Stronger EV uptake is driving increased demand for public charging, and that demand must be matched by a step change in both public and private investment to ensure infrastructure keeps pace,” Weber said .
