Australia's EV share of new-car sales nearly triples — and cheaper gas hasn't stopped it

Australian drivers have increasingly turned to electric cars, with EVs' share of new car sales having tripled in the past year.

Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries figures reported by 7NEWS put battery EVs at 23.1% of new car purchases in October, compared with 7.3% a year earlier.

Over that span, every Australian state and territory recorded growth in EV sales. Tesla alone notched 4,050 sales, a 342% increase from the previous October, while sales of gas and diesel vehicles declined. Peter Khoury, the NRMA head of media, pointed to growing frustration with fluctuating fuel costs as the primary reason for the shift toward EVs.

"I think Australians largely just had enough with the volatility of oil prices," he told 7NEWS.

For households considering home charging, residential solar can help save even more money on household energy costs. Some $0-upfront solar leases can potentially deliver hundreds of dollars in monthly savings. EasyHome's free explorer tool helps estimate possible savings and find vetted local installers; the savings depend on the household and available offers.

According to Khoury, after an initial surge following the start of the Iran war, pump prices fell below prewar levels in July as the government temporarily halved the fuel excise and a 60-day ceasefire helped bring down oil prices. Despite the lower fuel prices, EV sales remained strong.

Electric and hybrid vehicles together outsold petrol and diesel vehicles in the third quarter, according to light vehicle sales figures.

For households exploring how an EV could fit into their home energy setup, EasyHome also offers options for exploring battery storage. Pairing solar with a battery can help households manage electricity costs by saving daytime generation for later use, including EV charging. The right solar-and-battery system can also provide backup power during outages.

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Australia with its unlimited sun and also its coal deposits would be a perfect place to wean itself off middle-eastern oil for fueling vehicles.

the net result of this movement to EVs globally over the next decade would be: 1. less leverage by oil producing countries - maybe even bankrupt the ME petro-states 2. less fluctuations in oil prices 3. vehicles that must run on oil - say trucks in rural or semi-rural areas will get lower and more stable prices 4. other products made from petroleum will stabilize in pricess

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