Australia has officially passed 500,000 battery electric vehicles on its roads, marking a major milestone as EV sales continue to increase and the range of available models expands.
The Electric Vehicle Council (EVC) announced the milestone on World EV Day, 16 years after the Mitsubishi i-MiEV became the first battery electric car available to buy in Australia in 2010.
Almost 200 EV models are now available locally, with the EVC pointing to increasing model choice, falling costs and supportive government policies as factors behind growing sales.
Battery electric vehicles reached a record high in August, accounting for 24.9 per cent of new vehicle sales and exceeding every other individual fuel type.
EVC chief executive officer Julie Delvecchio said reaching 500,000 BEVs demonstrated how far the Australian market had progressed.
“Hitting 500,000 battery electric cars on Australian roads is a remarkable achievement that we always believed was possible, even when others doubted it,” Delvecchio said.
However, the EVC believes the pace of adoption will need to accelerate substantially if Australia is to reach a national target of five million BEVs on the road by 2035.
According to the EVC, another 4.5 million BEVs will need to be added over the next nine years — nine times the growth achieved during the previous 16 years.
In August, BEVs represented almost one in four new vehicles sold, while BEVs and plug-in hybrids combined accounted for more than a third of the new vehicle market. Petrol and diesel vehicles represented less than half of new sales for the first time.
The EVC identified greater vehicle choice and affordability, improved charging access and continued policy certainty as important to maintaining the transition.
The expanding EV fleet will also have implications for dealerships and automotive repair workshops, which will increasingly need the equipment and skills required to handle electric vehicles.
Delvecchio welcomed the Federal Government’s latest round of the DRIVEN rebate, which provides assistance for businesses investing in EV-specific equipment.
“Dealerships and repair workshops right across the country need to be ready for the customers already walking through their doors,” Delvecchio said.
Under the program, eligible businesses can claim up to 80 per cent of the cost of EV-specific tooling, protective equipment and workshop upgrades, capped at $50,000.
The EVC said the support would make it easier for dealerships to sell, demonstrate and service electric vehicles as Australia’s EV fleet continues to grow.