Combined sales of hybrid, plug-in hybrid (PHEV) and electric vehicles (EV) surpassed sales of gasoline cars last month.
According to figures from the Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries (FCAI) and the Electric Vehicle Council, a total of 42,007 electric vehicles were delivered across Australia in March 2026, compared to just 34,694 petrol-powered models and 28,364 diesel vehicles.
While petrol and diesel vehicles combined still make up the majority, electrified vehicles – including hybrids, PHEVs and electric vehicles – accounted for almost 40 percent of all new car sales last month.
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In the previous month it was less than 34 percent; in March 2025, combined sales of electrified vehicles were almost 30 percent.
It is unclear whether this recent trend will continue, as part of the rush for electric and plug-in hybrids is due to the current fuel crisis, which has seen a decline in the supply of petrol and diesel in some parts of Australia as prices have skyrocketed.
Although the fuel crisis is thought to have contributed to a rise in sales, trends suggest buyers have already switched to hybrid and electric cars – figures from FCAI and EVC show they have recorded double and triple-digit year-on-year growth in recent months.
In December 2025, hybrid cars recorded an increase of almost 30 percent compared to twelve months earlier, while sales of electric and plug-in hybrids increased by 93.3 and 170.5 percent, respectively, in January 2026 compared to January 2025.
Last month was also a record month for electric vehicles, which alone accounted for almost 15 percent of the total market – an increase of 88.9 percent.
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