Tasmania leads the nation in electric car purchases
Published | 14 August 2023
The state’s peak mobility body has revealed Tasmanians are leading the nation in adopting electric vehicles (EVs) as new data shows a huge jump in the number of EVs purchased in the past year.
Data released yesterday by its national body, Australian Automobile Association (AAA), showed a dramatic increase of 97.23 per cent in the number of light EVs registered in Tasmania between January 2022 and 2023.
Our Chief Advocacy Officer Garry Bailey said Tasmania, alongside Victoria, was one of only two states with close to one in ten sales being battery electric vehicles (BEV).
“In Q2 of 2023, BEVs accounted for 9.98 per cent of new vehicle sales, higher than in Q1 when it was only 6.74 per cent, and higher than the national BEV penetration of 8.67 per cent,” Mr Bailey said.
The data also revealed a climb of 56.27 per cent in sales across the state over the same quarter, representing a significant increase of 166 fully electric vehicles on the road.
“Up from 295 in Q1 2023 to 461 in Q2 2023, these sales figures tell us that more Tasmanians are warming up to electric vehicles.
“It’s encouraging that more people are considering an electric vehicle and more Tasmanians are making the switch.
“Electric vehicles will help lower Tasmania’s transport emissions, but other initiatives, such as higher fuel standards and access to low-emission vehicles, must also come into play.
“The challenge in Tasmania is that we have the oldest vehicle fleet with an average age of 13 years, compared to 10 nationally.
“And many Tasmanians currently are reluctant to upgrade their vehicles because of cost-of-living pressures.
“That means there will be internal combustion engine vehicles on our roads for years to come.”
Australian Electric Vehicle Association (Tas) Director Jon Ettershank welcomed the data as confirmation that the electric vehicle revolution is in full swing.
“Car dealers and charging station operators will be heartened they've made the right choice, stepping into a rapidly growing market, and with more choice than ever, there's never been a better time to get into an electric vehicle,” Mr Ettershank said.
“If a short test drive at a dealer isn't enough to convince you, try hiring one for your next weekend getaway.”
Further information, including regional breakdowns of EVs to municipalities, can be found on the AAA website.