By Jennifer Dudley-Nicholson
AUSTRALIAN drivers have jumped behind the wheels of more than 103,000 new vehicles in the span of a month as the nation’s automotive sector continues to roar back to life.
SUVs dominated new vehicle sales during August, according to figures released by the Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries on Wednesday, and utes claimed three of the top five spots for best-selling models.
But electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles showed the greatest rise in sales compared to last year, as low-emission vehicles sales accelerated.
The findings follow a record quarter for battery-powered vehicles in which they made up 13.1 per cent of all new car sales, and come after a national discussion about the introduction of a road-user charge to tax their use.
The chamber’s figures showed Australians bought 100,539 new vehicles during August – a rise of 2.2 per cent, or 2211 more vehicles compared to the same month last year.
As well, Tesla and Polestar’s figures, released only to the Electric Vehicle Council, show another 3155 sales.
Six in every 10 of the sales recorded by the chamber were SUVs, as their popularity grew by another seven per cent during the month, while passenger vehicle sales fell by 12.9 per cent.
Low-emission vehicles continued their rise in Australia, with hybrid vehicle sales rising by four per cent during the month and plug-in hybrid sales up by 47 per cent for August and 155 per cent for the year.
The popularity of different vehicle types also extended to different vehicle brands, chamber chief executive Tony Weber said, as he noted entrants to Australia’s list of top 10 car manufacturers.
“The presence of four Chinese brands in the top 10 illustrates the continuing evolution of the automotive landscape in Australia,” he said.
“Consumers have an extraordinary range of vehicles to choose from – more than 400 models, including around 100 EVs.”
Sales of electric cars topped 10,000 during August, making up 9.6 per cent of all new vehicle sales.
