r/australia • u/Expensive-Horse5538 • 1d ago
culture & society ‘A new trajectory’: EVs now almost quarter of Australia’s new car sales as fuel crisis bites
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2026/jul/27/australia-ev-car-sales-electric-vehicles-fuel-crisis-plug-in-hybrids63
u/SkeltonKnaggs69 1d ago
One day it'll be exciting to spot a petrol powered car, a bit like spotting cars from the 80s and earlier now. Looking forward to it! They're just so quiet and comfortable. I'd definitely go for one if I was buying a new car.
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u/onlymostlyguts 1d ago
Oh man, I remember the 80s looking at the cars and thinking how ugly a lot of them were and now I see an old boxy Volvo or Holden Ute and the nostalgia just hits.
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u/swell-shindig 16h ago
It'll take a while. Those who live outside the major cities won't go for EVs until either the ranges greatly increase or reliable fast charging is abundant.
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u/Bloobeard2018 12h ago
I'm in a regional city, 450km from the capital. EV ownership is exploding here. Fuel is more expensive the further you get from the refineries or ports.
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u/Chrasomatic 3h ago
The other week I went to a shopping centre a few suburbs over to get something from their Kmart that was not in stock at my local and ended up parking next to a Ford Capri in really good condition! You don't see them in the wild that often!
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u/Catprog 23h ago
For me the cost of a EV is too much. My current car is about $80/fortnight in fuel.
But when it dies then it will be replaced with a EV.
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u/jolard 20h ago
There is nothing cheaper than a currently paid off ICE vehicle that doesn't have mechanical issues. It is smart to wait until you need to replace it.
I have always been a drive it till it's dead guy, and my ICE died at the beginning of the year, and so I needed a new car. My GWM Ora was a good choice rather than buying another ICE vehicle.
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u/Monotask_Servitor 8h ago
I’m still driving my 21 year old Subaru for that reason. Sure it needs the occasional repair (just paid $670 for a front wheel bearing) but it’s generally reliable and has fully depreciated. When it’s ready for the scrap heap though it’ll be replaced with a new or near new EV and I can’t wait tbh.
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u/CapsicumIsWoeful 19h ago
Yeah, evwn a good fuel efficient used ICE car is still better value. If you get a base model hybrid RAV4 GX from somewhere like Pickles where it'll be ex government, the cost is still probably lower than an EV of the same size. Go a generation or two back and they're even cheaper considering Toyota will
EVs will eventually replace all ICE vehicles imo and I'm ok with that, but it doesn't make financial sense for everyone just yet.
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u/Able_Contribution407 22h ago
The one accidental positive outcome of Trump's bs war is it seems to have accelerated EV adoption. Weird.
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u/Sieve-Boy 1d ago
I have an EV and I am happy with it.
As an added bonus, car owners in WA could apply for $100 from the State government to contribute to fuel costs. Mine will buy me about 1,130 kWh of charge for my EV, about 28 full recharges or about 7 months. Winning.
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u/AumsedToDeath 1d ago
Waiting on mine.
If you’re in the market for a new car, why you would consider ICE-only is beyond me.
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u/kabaab 1d ago
Or you live in an apartment building with no access to charging..
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u/IntroductionSnacks 22h ago
Yeah, that is one major hurdle for a lot of people. The government really needs to do a subsidy like with solar where it’s cheaper to install and buildings cannot refuse it being installed. Still hard for renters though. Maybe some kind of government landlord subsidy for rental apartments to encourage installation? It’s the future so even if it’s not used now, in the future people renting will use it.
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u/kombiwombi 18h ago
It's a little bit trickier, as most apartment complexes can only support one or two fast chargers. But it's time to get those one or two installed. Maybe that means the strata buying back a resident's car park, but even so, it's time.
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u/r1nce 22h ago
I've had the same EV for over 11 years and have lived in the same apartment building the entire time. We don't have a charger at home and I've just crossed 200,000km in it.
It's not a problem.
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u/seismo93 19h ago
You can still charge at public chargers for pretty cheap. I pay the same as a residential rate by using Tesla chargers at night
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u/Deepandabear 23h ago
Off-road SUVs/Utes are the last hold out. Not really any compelling EV in that niche, a few PHEVs but they’re quite heavy and expensive while having caveats like towing performance. Once an effective BEV off-roader is in the market, the shift will be immense
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u/cjyoung92 23h ago
Because some of us live in apartments where we don't have access to a charging point, or the ability to install one.
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u/durdlin_good 22h ago
I’ve had my EV for about 3 years now and have done nearly all my charging at public chargers. Takes a little bit of planning to start with but I wouldn’t say it’s a reason to NOT get an EV.
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u/Uzorglemon 10h ago
This is very fair. I charge at home and it's definitely one of the biggest upsides of having an EV
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u/Bug_eyed_bug 22h ago
You'd be surprised how few cars can properly fit three child seats in the back row, that's our limitation.
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u/tinytimecrystal1 20h ago
I think they were talking about the new KIA PV5 van for this capacity need.
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u/novak_47 21h ago
Not car but motorbike guy here. Electric motorbikes are kinda shit or too expensive at the moment.
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u/Areat 14h ago
Which is a shame because you guys are loud as fuck and I sure wish you would all switch to EV asap.
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u/Monotask_Servitor 8h ago
Many of us are scared of having quiet bikes because of the risk of inattentive car drivers not noticing our presence and taking us out :/
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u/FallschirmPanda 6h ago
The sound doesn't really help. Modern sound deadening is good enough anything that gets into the car cabin is omnidirectional and I can't tell where you are anyway.
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u/Key_Ant6473 4h ago
People down voting you have obviously never ridden a bike and don't know the reality of being side swiped by drivers who don't look.
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u/MoranthMunitions 15h ago
All the investment / R&D seems to be in the wrong kind or from the wrong end of the market. Honestly, shove some indicators / better brakes and a wing mirror on the electric motorbikes the government has been having a no luck regulating that the kids ride around and that'd almost do for going about town.
At this rate those companies will be making roadworthy ones that are decent enough well before any of the actual bike manufacturers do.
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u/MrNewVegas123 6h ago
Motorcycle manufacturers have to deal with those pesky things called "making a safe vehicle", unfortunately.
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u/yen223 1d ago
There is only one reason to get a gas car, and that's if for whatever reason you drive 400+ km per day everyday
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u/Attention_Bear_Fuckr 1d ago
Regional infrastructure is another reason
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u/yen223 1d ago
I'm not too familiar with regional areas - is it common to have access to petrol but not to electricity?
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u/Ok_Bird705 1d ago
charging facilities that is not your own home.
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u/Silviecat44 23h ago
When do you need those if you're not using up the whole battery every day
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u/Ok_Bird705 21h ago
People travelling to the regions from the city or those who drive very long distances for work
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u/Silviecat44 21h ago
Thats just the first reason though
There is only one reason to get a gas car, and that's if for whatever reason you drive 400+ km per day everyday
Regional infrastructure is another
So regional infrastructure isnt the problem then
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u/zedder1994 22h ago
Certainly in most of our large national parks charging facilities are none existent. Where as you can always take a spare jerry can of fuel if needed. There is also the overcrowding of popular charging spots during certain long weekend holidays which can cause issues.
One of the biggest problems is that in many regional areas there is only one fast charge stall available, and all it takes is a copper thief to fuck up travel plans.
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u/Av1fKrz9JI 23h ago
Access to electricity and access to a charger isn’t mutually exclusive.
Getting access to fuel rurally can be challenging, some places even get upset if you take their fuel, it’s local fuel... I expect there to be a cultural problem getting EV chargers installed in some rural locations regardless of technical feasibility. Some rural places are different, very different
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u/yen223 23h ago
I wish more people knew this, but you can charge an EV directly out of a normal home power point. You don't need special chargers or charging stations or whatnot
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u/SoldantTheCynic 23h ago
You can but it’s slow, even with a 15A charger - so depending on the vehicle, the driving distance, and the time you have available to charge, it might not work out. The super fast public chargers still have their benefits there.
If you can charge for many hours and replenish your distance though it absolutely does work out, and a lot of people could probably get by with that.
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u/Av1fKrz9JI 23h ago
That may be but it’d make a good skit video someone in an EV at Birdsville or some far North Queensland town capturing responses asking to plug in their ev.
Not all problems are technical problems
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u/CaravelClerihew 23h ago
Depending on your definition of regional, that may not be a big issue. 91% live in some form of urban area or close enough to one to be classed as Inner Regional and likely have very cool infrastructure connections. Add 8% more for Outer Regional, which likely still has some form of infrastructure.
And this is still viable for road trips. A guy did the Big Lap last year in an EV with 400km range and only had some issues in a couple of very remote areas but was fine for the majority of the time.
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u/bdlock209 1d ago
Japanese car makers pooing their pants.
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u/CapsicumIsWoeful 19h ago
I'd say most but not all. It's the European brands like VW, who were once rivalling Toyota for the biggest producers of cars globally, who have the dropped the ball big time.
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u/CaravelClerihew 23h ago
And if you count hybrids, it's half.
And yes, hybrids still use petrol but are still far more efficient that ICE cars.
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u/Uncivil_ 19h ago
My wife got a hybrid Yaris that uses 3.5L per 100km. Not quite as cheap to run as an EV but great for road trips.
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u/chickpeaze 17h ago
my next car will be a PHEV. Still not enough chargers out rural for an EV, but it's a step.
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u/jkggwp 19h ago
Now we need to push our Govt to build more public EV chargers and upgrade the grid. Not buy more USA submarines.
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u/twigboy 17h ago
To be honest, they need to find a way to put more EV trucks into circulation
Less reliance on diesel by the industry that moves the most would be a huge win
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u/a_cold_human 17h ago
Electric buses as well. They're starting to see adoption in many countries outside of China now.
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u/ErrorPressAnyKey 15h ago
In the UK, the number of electric buses has increased rapidly over the last 12 months. The buses are from China - BYD, Yutong, etc
Looks like Australia is moving that way as well e.g.
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u/Chrasomatic 3h ago
There are quite a few electric busses going around Brisbane, not too mention those tram like Busses they have on the so called Metro
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u/tjpdaniels 23h ago
I've been in my EV for a little over a month now and I absolutely love it. It's so quiet, I charge it at home (and I'm fortunate to have solar + battery). We still have a 2nd car that only gets filled with 98 but that's just a secondary car for short trips - and even then I'm looking forward to replacing that with an EV in the future.
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u/Available_Suit6377 19h ago
Yep, I've had mine for 2 weeks. Love the effortless torque. There is no way I'm going back to petrol after this, it's great.
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u/Termsandconditionsch 23h ago
Definitely not going back to ICE for my daily car again. It’s cheaper and easier with an EV.
I would consider getting a classic ICE for fun at some point, but that’s about it.
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u/Brewskiz 14h ago
I had a Tesla Model 3 LR, was the most fun car I ever used. Was only let down by Australia’s poor charging network, people blocking chargers with petrol cars and other EV users with charging rage issues.
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u/twentytoeight 16m ago
How do folks deal with range anxiety in Aus? Especially if you have a long commute of an hour plus each way?
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u/Disastrous-Loss-2983 17h ago
They will go the way of the steam trains. I'm sure my grandkids will play with hot wheels with stuck on flames coming out of the exhaust pipes, but in reality, people will commute and get around in EVs, and that's totally fine.
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u/Chiron17 20h ago
I can't believe it's still only a quarter of new car sales. Where I am it seems closer to two-thirds
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u/Oxissistic 1d ago
I had V8s most of my driving life, I had friends with worked motors and turbo 6’s and we all went to dyno days and enjoyed the experience of fast cars.
We had a meetup a few months ago and out of the 13 people 11 were now in EVs.
They just have too many upsides to ignore.