Recent developments in Australia’s electric vehicle (EV) landscape present a mixed picture, with Toyota making strides in charging infrastructure, contrasting with a slight dip in EV sales. Additionally, the renowned Fully Charged, now rebranded as Everything Electric has debuted in Sydney for 2024, featuring several car manufacturers showcasing their EV offerings.
Despite a global growth slowdown from 60% to 35% year over year, 2023 witnessed 13.7 million plug-in vehicles sold. However, January 2024’s EV penetration rate in Australia barely exceeded 5%, prompting questions about the factors influencing this figure.
Possible explanations include a transition to the Tesla Model 3 Highland, a shipment of Teslas returning to China due to a stink bug infestation, and a recall/stop sale related to the Model 3’s centre child seat tether point issue.
CEO Behzad Jafari of the Electric Vehicle Council of Australia highlighted that if the Glovis Caravel had successfully unloaded its shipment, Australia would have surpassed 100,000 EVs sold in 2023. While it’s disheartening that one carmaker and a single shipment could impact the market significantly, it raises hope for the coming year.
The EV market in Australia saw the top-selling models in January 2024, with the Tesla Model 3 leading the pack, followed by BYD Seal and MG 4. The sector is evolving rapidly, with notable announcements from automakers planning to introduce 30 new EV models to Australia in 2024.
Despite some challenges, the electric vehicle market in Australia is diversifying and growing, providing consumers with more options and paving the way for a sustainable automotive future.
