Electric and hybrid vehicle sales in Australia are climbing to record highs, indicating a substantial shift in the country’s automotive market. According to the Australian Automobile Association’s most recent quarterly data, internal combustion engine vehicles have fallen below 70% of total market share for the first time.

Electric vehicles accounted for 9.7% of all new car sales in the three months to September, the highest proportion ever recorded. A total of 29,298 battery-electric vehicles were sold, slightly up from the previous quarter’s record. Hybrid and plug-in hybrid vehicles also experienced steady growth, with 49,929 and 12,460 units sold, respectively.

Meanwhile, sales of gasoline-powered automobiles fell drastically to 210,458, from almost 226,000 in the previous quarter. The transition was most pronounced in New South Wales and Victoria, where petrol vehicles accounted for less than 69% of new registrations. In the ACT, internal combustion vehicles accounted for less than half of total sales.

According to Aman Gaur of the Electric Vehicle Council, Australians are increasingly opting for cleaner, more cost-effective alternatives. He urged state and territory governments to reinstate scrapped EV rebates, emphasising that incentives are still critical to maintaining momentum.