SYDNEY, Oct. 14 (Xinhua) -- Electric vehicle (EV) sales hit record highs in Australia, with more than 72,000 units sold in the first half of 2025, marking the highest six-month total ever recorded, according to an industry report released Tuesday.
The new report from the Electric Vehicle Council (EVC), the national body representing Australia's EV industry, revealed record sales and rapid growth in charging infrastructure during 2024-25.
Australians purchased 72,758 battery electric vehicles and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles in the first half of 2025, a 24.4-percent increase over the same period in 2024, the report said.
EVs now make up 12.1 percent of Australia's new car sales, up from 9.61 percent in 2024, with June 2025 marking a peak market share of nearly 16 percent, it said, adding EVs only account for 2 percent of all cars on Australian roads.
Australia now has more than 410,000 EVs in the national vehicle fleet as of September 2025, according to the report.
Meanwhile, the report said that Australia had 1,272 fast-charging locations for motorists to visit to plug in and at least 4,192 high-power public charging plugs across the country in June 2025, representing year-on-year increases of 20 percent and 22 percent, respectively.
Despite progress, the report said Australia needs at least 1 million EVs on the road by 2028 and a 50-percent EV market share for new car sales within the decade to meet the country's emissions reduction targets, meaning a total of 145,000 EVs sold in 2025, an additional 240,000 EVs sold in 2026 and a further 320,000 in 2027.
"Transport will become Australia's largest-emitting sector within years," said EVC Chief Executive Officer Julie Delvecchio.
The EVC called for stronger, consistent government support, including Goods and Services Tax exemptions, energy bill credits, and clear targets with a petrol and diesel vehicle sales ban.
