The new normal: EV sales double in Australia, while petrol car sales slump

The Driven

Electric cars continue to experience unprecedented success in Australia, against a backdrop of continued declining sales petrol and diesel-fuelled vehicles.

The latest report from the Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries reveal that sales of zero and low emissions vehicles have doubled in 2019 compared to year-to-date (YTD) figures from 2018.

According to the FCAI, some 1,839 EVs and PHEVs have been sold so far in 2019 compared to 887 in the same period in 2018, although it should be noted that these figures exclude sales from Tesla, likely to be boosted from this month with the first deliveries of the Model 3.

This comes as the overall market continues its remarkable decline, posting the 17th consecutive month of declining auto sales, with overall passenger vehicles dropping 16.7 per cent with 25,783 sales, and SUVs down 5.4 per cent with 39,040 sales, and light commercial vehicles down 8.6 per cent with 17,513 sales.

“There’s no doubt it is a very tough market at the moment,” FCAI chief executive Tony Weber said in a statement.

“Despite the best efforts of the industry, the decrease in sales continues. It is well known that Australia is one of the most competitive markets in the world, and with the current economic environment, it is also one of the most difficult markets in the world.”

But not for electric vehicle sales, which are picking up at a rate nearly as fast as carmakers can bring them into the country.

To read the full story, please go to our EV-focused sister site, The Driven.