EV and PHEV sales rise as state and territory governments introduce subsidies

While today's VFACTS report has shown a less-than-stellar month for overall vehicle sales, two powertrains are on the rise – with both electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles enjoying a boom over last year's figures.

Off the back of a 28.3 per cent increase of total vehicle sales in 2021 so far, more EVs have been sold this month than ever before with a total of 526 sales in June, bringing the yearly total to 2217 units, though Tesla’s sales are not included.

The monthly figure represents a 198.9 per cent jump in June EV sales compared to 2020, with the year-to-date number up by 189.5 per cent compared to the 771 EVs sold to the same point last year, passing the total 2020 number of 1769 with another half of the year still to come.

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This spike coincides with various incentives being rolled out by state and territory governments to get buyers into EVs, with Victoria, Queensland, Tasmania and the Australian Capital Territory having already implemented their schemes.

New South Wales is set to begin its program in September, possibly the most generous in Australia so far with a $3000 rebate available for the first 25,000 buyers alongside a waiving of stamp duty, which can be as much as $3000 itself, both of which could lead to a larger jump in EV uptake.

While the EV market in Australia makes up just 0.4 per cent of new vehicle sales, it is slowly edging ahead over PHEV sales with a 54 per cent lead so far this year, a 777 unit difference in sales compared to just 16 vehicles at the same point 12 months ago.

PHEVs are still gaining popularity though with 1440 sales year-to-date, up 685 from June last year (a 90.7 per cent increase) while monthly sales are up by 110.

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In the industry overall, petrol is still king, making up just over 56 per cent of all vehicle sales so far this year despite a 3.5 per cent drop through June and a 22.8 per cent yearly rise on 2020, the lowest of any fuel source this year.

Diesel sales remain on an upwards trajectory, going through a year-on-year jump of 32.5 per cent, now contributing to 32.9 per cent of vehicle sales in 2021 so far.

Conventional hybrids are also selling in higher numbers than last year, with the 36,658 sold in 2021 representing a 57.8 percent increase over last year's mid-year numbers, accounting for 6.5 per cent of all vehicle sales year-to-date.