Australia reached one of the most important milestones in the global electric vehicle market in August 2026.
According to ITNA citing Electrek, for the first time, electric car sales exceeded petrol car sales in Australia. According to data from VFACTS and the Electric Vehicle Council, 27,078 battery electric vehicles (BEV) were sold that month, accounting for 24.9% of the total new car market. By contrast, petrol car sales were 25,824 units and diesel cars 23,608 units.
Electric vehicle sales increased 171% compared to August last year. If hybrid and plug-in hybrid vehicles are also considered, electric and electrified vehicles together accounted for 51.8% of the market. This is the first month that cars powered solely by internal combustion engines became a minority of the Australian market.
Another notable point is the prominent role of Chinese automakers in this shift. The eight best-selling electric cars in Australia in August were all manufactured in China. Seven models belong to brands such as BYD, Geely, ZEEKR and JAC, and two Tesla models, the Model Y and Model 3, are also produced at Giga Shanghai.
The Tesla Model Y, with sales of 6,414 units, was the best-selling car in the Australian market that month, recording a 176% increase compared to last year. However, BYD ranked second among brands with sales of 8,231 units and, due to a greater product range, still has a stronger presence across the market.
On the other hand, traditional brands such as Toyota, Mazda and Kia faced declines in sales, while Chinese automakers experienced double- or even triple-digit growth. One of the important factors in this change is the lack of heavy tariffs on Chinese electric cars in Australia; a condition that has enabled the supply of cheaper and more diverse electric vehicles and accelerated the transition from petrol and diesel cars to electric vehicles.