Electric vehicles outsell petrol cars in Australia for the first time
Electric vehicles achieved a historic milestone in Australia in August 2026, selling 27,078 units representing 24.9% of the new-car market, surpassing petrol-powered vehicles which sold 25,824 units. BEVs grew 171% year-over-year, while electrified vehicles including hybrids captured 51.8% of total market share. The shift marks the first month combustion-only cars became a minority in the Australian market.
In a significant shift, electric vehicles surpassed petrol cars in Australia during August 2026 for the first time. Battery-electric vehicles achieved 27,078 sales against 25,824 for petrol vehicles and 23,608 for diesel, as the total market expanded 4.9% to 108,760 units.
Tesla Model Y led individual models with 6,414 sales, yet a broader picture reveals decisive Chinese dominance. Eight of the top-selling EVs came from Chinese manufacturers, with BYD, Geely, Zeekr and Jaecoo leading. The BYD Sealion 7 alone recorded 2,213 sales, ranking sixth across all models. The Geely EX5 surged more than 385% year-over-year.
At brand level, Toyota maintained the highest volume with 19,712 sales but fell 5.2% annually. BYD ranked second with 8,231 units, up 68.8%, leveraging a substantially broader lineup than Tesla's two-model range. Tesla placed third with 7,685 units, up 163%. Combined electrified vehicles—BEVs, hybrids and plug-in hybrids—captured 51.8% of market share, marking Australia's emergence as a predominantly electrified market and reflecting the impact of minimal EV tariffs enabling rapid Chinese manufacturer penetration.
Editorial takeaway
Electric vehicles achieved a historic milestone in Australia in August 2026, selling 27,078 units representing 24.9% of the new-car market, surpassing petrol-powered vehicles which sold 25,824 units. BEVs grew 171% year-over-year, while electrified vehicles including hybrids captured 51.8% of total market share. The shift marks the first month combustion-only cars became a minority in the Australian market.
EV Gulf · without overstating unannounced specifications
Is that performance something you would actually use, or just a big number that would not change your purchase?
Send it to the person you always debate cars with—the visual and link are ready to share.
Choose who you hear the news from
Add EV Gulf as a preferred source on Google and our Gulf EV coverage moves to the top of your results — reporting with named sources, not guesswork.
Add as a preferred sourceOpens Google's settings for om.evgulf.com — needs a Google account, and you can undo it any time.
Related articles
Musk Hints Tesla Cybercab Expansion Toward Europe Soon
Tesla launches quarter-end inventory promotions in China amid domestic sales pressure
Tesla Robotaxi to Operate 24/7: Timeline Emerges for Round-the-Clock Service