EV & Hybrid Sales Soar in Australia: ICE Vehicles Plummet! (2024 Update)
The Australian automotive industry is undergoing a dramatic shift, and it’s about time. Electric vehicles, EVs, and hybrids are taking over the roads, leaving traditional internal combustion engines in the dust. In a groundbreaking development, the market share of these gas guzzlers has dipped below 70% for the very first time. This is a significant milestone in the country’s journey towards a greener future. Here’s the scoop. The Australian Automobile Association’s AAA recent quarterly report reveals that EVs made up 9.7% of new car sales from July to September, an all-time high. This surge in EV popularity is not just a flash in the pan. It’s a trend that’s been gaining momentum over the past 2 years. But here’s where it gets controversial. Despite this progress, the Electric Vehicle Council is calling for more government support. The council is urging state and territory governments to bring back scrapped EV subsidies, believing these incentives are crucial to meeting Australia’s ambitious emissions reduction targets. And the numbers back them up. A record-breaking 29,298 batterypowered EVs were sold in the September quarter, a slight increase from the previous quarter’s already impressive sales. Meanwhile, hybrids and plug-in hybrids are also gaining traction with sales figures of 49,929 and 12,460, respectively. As EV sales accelerate, the demand for petrol-powered cars is sputtering. In the latest quarter, only 210,458 such vehicles were sold, a decline from the previous quarter’s 226,36. This trend is even more pronounced in New South Wales and Victoria, where the market share of internal combustion engine vehicles has dipped below 69%. And in the ACT, petrol cars account for less than half of all new car sales, a truly remarkable shift. Amand Gar, the Electric Vehicle Council’s legal and policy advocate, celebrates this transition. He believes Australians are embracing the benefits of EVs from environmental sustainability to cost savings. But the federal government’s support for this transition is a mixed bag. While they’ve introduced fuel efficiency standards and fringe benefits tax exemptions, they’ve stopped short of setting a sales target for EVs. The Climate Change Authority has warned that Australia’s emissions goals are at risk without a more aggressive approach. They estimate that EVs need to make up half of all light vehicle sales in the next decade to achieve even the lower end of the government’s target to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 62 to 70% by 2035. And this is the part most people miss. A proposed road user charge could hinder EV adoption according to the authorities chair Matt Keem. Despite this, the treasurer Jim Chowmer’s seems unconcerned, stating he’s in no hurry to implement the charge, which aims to replace fuel excise revenue. Gar emphasizes the need for state and territory governments to step up their game. He specifically calls out the Western Australian government for ending a popular EV rebate scheme that offered buyers a $3,500 discount. G argues that these incentives are essential to encouraging Australians to make the switch to EVs. So, will the government heed the call for increased support or will they let this opportunity to accelerate the EV revolution pass them by? The future of Australia’s automotive industry and its environmental impact hang in the balance. What do you think? Is the government doing enough to support the transition to EVs, or should they be doing more? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
Australia’s EV revolution is accelerating! This video dives into the latest data, revealing record-breaking EV sales and the declining market share of internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles. We’ll explore:
The 9.7% EV market share in the September quarter.
The rise of hybrids and plug-in hybrids.
The drop of ICE vehicles to below 70%.
Government policies and the need for EV subsidies.
Learn about the trends shaping Australia’s automotive future and what it means for you. Don’t forget to like, subscribe, and hit the notification bell for more updates on the EV market!
