New automobile gross sales fell in March, down 3.9% on 12 months in the past to 97,251, however the shift to electrical automobiles is effectively and really underway in Australia
The month-to-month figures from the Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries (FCAI) reveal that battery electrical automobile gross sales grew by 19.5% on March 2022 figures together with plug-in-hybrid gross sales growing by 33.3%.
From lower than 2% 12 months in the past, EVs now signify almost 7% of recent automobile gross sales.
The shift comes as Tesla this week reduce the value of its three native Mannequin 3 variants by round $3000. It’s the second time Elon Musk’s automobile firm has reduce Australian costs this yr, with competitors growing from Chinese language producers akin to MG and BYD.
The price of an base Tesla Mannequin 3 is now $60,900, plus on highway prices.
FCAI Chief Govt Tony Weber mentioned March was a stable month for brand spanking new automobile gross sales given provide constraint, and the demand for EVs is obvious, though the problem is to fulfill client tastes for utes and SUVs.
“This progress demonstrates that the place Australians can afford a battery electrical automobile which fits their way of life, they’ll purchase them,” he mentioned.
“The highest three finest sellers for March 2023 had been utes. It’s notable that there aren’t any passenger sedans within the 10 prime promoting automobiles for March. The patron desire for utes and SUVs is a crucial issue to think about as we journey to a zero-emission mild automobile fleet as a result of these automobiles are harder and costly to impress.”
The Passenger Automobile Market fell by 4,817 automobile gross sales (-21.9%) on 12 months in the past; the Sports activities Utility Market is up by 2,633 automobile gross sales (5.2%); the Gentle Business Market is down by 2,182 automobile gross sales (-9%) and the Heavy Business Automobile Market is up by 384 automobile gross sales (9.3%).
Weber mentioned there must be extra funding in altering choices for EV patrons.
“If we wish extra zero and low emission automobiles on our roads, then we should present the mandatory recharging infrastructure and transfer to implement an bold but achievable gas effectivity normal which can encourage producers to allocate extra of the restricted provide to Australia,” he mentioned.
Up to now in 2023 gross sales of automobiles sourced from China have elevated 70.7% with 15,124 automobiles bought in March. Japan stays Australia’s largest supply of automobiles (25,538). Thailand is our second largest (21,729) and Korea fourth (12,771).
Toyota led the market with a complete of 13,223 automobiles bought. Mazda was second (8,243), adopted by Ford (6,485), Kia (6,403) and Mitsubishi (5,863).
The Toyota Hello-Lux was the very best promoting mannequin with 4,583 gross sales, adopted by Ford’s Ranger 4,508. Isuzu’s D-Max was third with 2,789, adopted by Mitsubishi’s Outlander (2,169) and Tesla’s Mannequin Y (1,938).
When it got here to EVs, Tesla stays the market chief, however its rivals are making inroads. The Tesla Mannequin 3 was eleventh within the general new automobile market at 1,640 EVs and the nation’s prime promoting passenger automobile, however it was outsold by the crossover SUV, Mannequin Y, at fifth general with 1,938 vehicles