Electric vehicles (EVs) achieved their highest share of the Australian vehicle market after sales surged in March, according to the Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries (FCAI).
FCAI Chief Executive Tony Weber said 15,839 battery EVs were sold in March, accounting for 14.6% of total sales, up from 7.5% in March 2025, according to VFACTS (Vehicle Facts) sales data.
Weber said that although EV sales grew strongly, rising 94.7% between March 2025 and March 2026, this may reflect short-term influences.
“It is too early to determine whether this represents a structural shift in the market,” he said in a media release.
“More consumers are considering EVs due to the disruption to fuel supply caused by conflict in the Middle East, along with the review into the fringe benefits tax concession for EVs."
Total vehicle sales fell 3.3% to 105,058 in March 2026 compared with March 2025.
He said the automotive industry would welcome a sustained shift to EVs, given its substantial investment in bringing more than 100 EV models to the Australian market and the industry’s efforts to meet ambitious New Vehicle Efficiency Standard (NVES) targets.
“A long-term shift to EVs will require Australian governments to sharpen their focus on public charging infrastructure, particularly in regional areas and locations where home charging is not practical,” he said.
“Ensuring infrastructure keeps pace with consumer demand will be critical to enabling sustainable growth in EV adoption beyond short-term influences.”
Toyota was the market leader in March with sales of 16,574, followed by Kia (7,320), BYD (7,217), Mazda (7,156) and Ford (7,149). The top models were the Ford Ranger (4,452), Toyota HiLux (4,167), Nissan X-Trail (2,438), Mitsubishi Outlander (2,318) and Hyundai Kona (2,316).
The FCAI is the peak representative organisation for companies that distribute new passenger vehicles, light commercial vehicles, motorcycles and all-terrain vehicles in Australia.
