EV Uptake in Australia: Is your state leading the charge?

Australia has revved up its interest in electric vehicles over the past year. A focus on emission reduction is accelerating the electric revolution. Based on a recent report from the Electric Vehicle Council, we explored the stats electrifying Australia’s streets.

Data sourced from the Electrical Vehicle Council report ‘State of Electric Vehicles’ published July 2023

A renewed focus on emission reduction is causing a transformative shift in the light vehicle market. 8.4 per cent of new car sales since the start of 2023 have been EVs, a 121 per cent increase on last year.

The widespread adoption is not without its challenges, the Electric Vehicle Council is urging for government action and for the production of a globally competitive New Vehicle Efficiency Standard. There is room for growth for Australia on the international stage, we remain behind many comparable countries in terms of EV adoption rates. Countries around the globe with supportive EV policies have surged ahead.

Every state is a winner

ACT is currently driving the change with 21.8 per cent of all new vehicle sales being EVs. Every state and territory has witnessed a doubling in their share of EV sales in 2023 so compared to 2022.

Read the full report from the Electric Vehicle Council here.

Australia’s growing EV fleet

Australia’s electric fleet has grown to approximately 130,000 vehicles. An estimated 109,000 of these of BEV type EVs.

With the current sales momentum the fleet figure is estimated to rise to nearly 180,000 by the end of 2023.

Building Australia’s EV Infrastructure

A 57 per cent increase in high power charging stations compared to 2022 is fostering the growth of EV adoption across the country. There is estimated to be over 558 public charging stations around the country. Notably, these charging locations often offer multiple bays, enabling simultaneous charging for multiple vehicles.

Shaping tomorrow’s network

Accelerating the rollout of high-power charging sites remains pivotal. Plans for furthering the network continue to be announced with hundreds more locations coming over the next few years to fill deployment gaps.

Across the states, NSW is leading the charge with 174 public charging stations. 43 of which are classed as ultrafast (100kW DC and above).

Destination charging is also being rolled out in Australia, providing EV owners charging facilities whilst travelling and staying in hotel accommodation. The development of EV charging sites at key tourism hotspots has been significant in improving the experience of driving EVs in the regions.

The future is smart

The ability for domestic charging is currently being explored with Smart Charging. Funded trials have proven EV charging in the home is possible and can be delivered by a variety of industry participants. Although energy pricing has been a topic for concern it has been determined that if consumers see relatively modest price rises, they will self-manage EV charging using their own solar or charging in off peak windows.