In an Aldi carpark in Australia last week, shoppers loaded groceries next to two Teslas, a Geely EX5, an MGZS EV, and a Volvo — all plugged in. That's the kind of scene that makes electric car fans quietly optimistic about where the market is heading.
Australia's plug-in vehicle market hit 31% penetration in July 2026, meaning nearly one in three new cars sold came with a cord. Of the almost 108,000 vehicles sold that month, 33,869 were plug-in models — 23,510 fully electric and 10,359 plug-in hybrids. While that's slightly down from June's record-breaking 36%, the long-term trend remains unmistakably upward.
TheTesla Model Y remains Australia's favorite electric car, with 4,644 units sold in July alone, bringing its year-to-date total to 25,040. But the competition is heating up. The BYD Sealion 7 came in second with 2,548 sales, followed by the Geely EX5 at 2,034. A newcomer worth watching is the Geely EX2, which launched at just AU$26,000 and already cracked the top 10 in its very first month of sales.
Toyota reclaimed the title of Australia's top-selling car brand, largely thanks to its RAV4 plug-in hybrid. The newly launched Mazda 6e also turned heads, outselling the Tesla Model 3 by nearly two to one — 283 versus 134. Videos circulated of Mazda dealers apparently surprised by the car's appeal, a sign that Japanese automakers are waking up to the electric revolution.
Looking at the year as a whole, Australians have purchased 127,226 fully electric vehicles and 64,615 plug-in hybrids so far. The market is particularly hungry for affordable options. Geely now ranks 11th among brands, boosted by the EX2's strong debut, while the GAC Aion V also launched straight into the top rankings.
Not every corner of the market is equally served. Micro cars and utes (pickup trucks) still lack compelling electric options, though fleet buyers have picked up around 300 battery-electric Toyota HiLux models since May. The industry watcher behind the data predicts it won't be long before an electric car sells for under AU$20,000 in Australia.
Small, affordable EVs are clearly winning over Australian buyers. From the bargain-priced Geely EX2 to the budget-friendly MG4 Urban, the market is shifting toward vehicles that won't break the bank. For a country not always known for leading the charge on new technology, Australia is quietly becoming a place where electric cars are starting to feel completely normal — even in a grocery store car park.