Diesel retakes top spot as EVs slip
Electrified vehicles pass half the market despite diesel returning to the top spotThe News
Diesel has reclaimed its position as Australia’s most popular fuel type, narrowly beating battery-electric vehicles in October as EV sales eased from their September peak.
But the bigger change is happening beneath the headline figures. BEVs, hybrids and plug-in hybrids accounted for a combined 50.8 per cent of passenger, SUV and light commercial vehicle sales reported through VFACTS in October, crossing the halfway mark for the first time.
The Key Details
- Diesel led October with 25,649 sales and 23.9 per cent market share
- BEVs placed second with 24,845 sales and a 23.1 per cent share
- Petrol slipped to third on 23,605 sales, accounting for 22.0 per cent of the market
- BEV, hybrid and PHEV sales combined for 50.8 per cent of eligible VFACTS sales
- Including Tesla and Polestar lifts the electrified share to 52.8 per cent
The Finer Details
Diesel returned to the top of the fuel-type rankings in October after electric vehicles led the market in August and September.
A total of 25,649 diesel vehicles were sold during the month, giving the fuel a 23.9 per cent share, compared with 24.3 per cent year-to-date.
Battery-electric vehicles weren't far behind. Some 24,845 BEVs were sold in October, representing 23.1 per cent of the market.
That was down 5.5 per cent from September's 26,287 EV sales, ending the two-month run in which electric vehicles topped the fuel-type rankings.
Even so, the shift towards electric vehicles remains pronounced compared with 12 months ago. Their October share stood at 23.1 per cent, versus 7.3 per cent a year earlier.
Petrol fell to third with 23,605 sales and a 22.0 per cent share, with volume down 35.9 per cent year-on-year. Its year-to-date share remains higher at 27.5 per cent.
Hybrids accounted for another 18,434 sales, or 17.1 per cent, while plug-in hybrids contributed 11,745 units and 10.9 per cent
Combined, battery-electric, hybrid and plug-in hybrid vehicles represented 50.8 per cent of passenger, SUV and light commercial sales recorded by VFACTS, up from 48.6 per cent in September.
Adding Tesla and Polestar, which are not included in the VFACTS figures, takes the electrified share to 52.8 per cent.
The Road Ahead
October's result makes a year-end BEV overtake of diesel increasingly unlikely.
The year-to-date gap between diesel and battery-electric sales has widened to 52,925 vehicles, compared with 52,123 previously, despite the sharp increase in electric market share.
The more significant milestone may therefore be the broader electrification of the Australian new-car market. With BEVs, conventional hybrids and plug-in hybrids now collectively accounting for more than half of eligible sales, electrified powertrains have moved into the majority even before Tesla and Polestar are counted.
Related: VFACTS June: Tesla SUV dominates
Related: VFACTS August: Chinese brands surge in popularity
Related: VFACTS September: Toyota RAV4 and Tesla Model Y chase Ranger home
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