Hybrid car sales are continuing to grow in Australia, while battery-powered electric vehicle sales fell dramatically last quarter, according to a new report by the Australian Automobile Association.
Battery-powered EV sales declined by 25.1% over Q3, from 25,353 to 18,990. Meanwhile, conventional hybrid sales rose from 46,727 to 48,282.
“There have been significant quarterly fluctuations over the past seven quarters,” the report says. “But sales figures over that period confirm a clear trend of growth for hybrids, while [battery-powered EV] market share appears to have peaked for now.”
Conventional hybrid market share is now 16.7%, up from last quarter’s 14.9%.
Plug-in hybrid sales also grew sharply in the third quarter, from 4,675 to 7,323. Its market share is now 2.5%, up from 1.5% last quarter.
Hybrids have outsold battery-powered EVs for five consecutive quarters, including in the ACT. The ACT has historically been Australia’s strongest battery-powered EV market.
Just three hydrogen fuel cell cars were sold in Q3, with 10 sold so far this year.
Plug-in hybrids are exempt from fringe benefits tax, though this will end on April 1. Government rebates for battery-powered EVs have now ended in all jurisdictions except Western Australia.
Medium SUVs were Australia’s most popular vehicle type in Q3, the report says. 50.9% of the medium SUVs sold in Q3 were internal combustion engine cars, while 32.2% were conventional hybrids.