Australian Plug-in Vehicle Sales Exceed 10% in February 2024

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It has been a really newsy month down below. An important merchandise needs to be that Australian plug-in electrical automobile gross sales in February have as soon as once more exceeded 10% — the final time was September 2023 — with 9.6% BEV, 1% PHEV. There have been 10,011 BEVs offered in February — more than double the January figure.

Out of the 105,023 vehicles sold in Australia in February 2024, 10,111 have been battery electrics, 976 have been plug-in hybrid SUVs, and 58 have been PHEV passenger vehicles, for a penetration price of 10.6% within the Australian plug-in market.

Within the information: the Australian federal authorities seems able to legislate for New Car Gas Effectivity Requirements (NVFES). Australia and Russia are the one developed nations to not have them. This has led to an enormous quantity of disinformation coming from the Federal Camber of Automotive Industries (FCAI), which in flip has led to Tesla and Polestar leaving the affiliation and producers like Volkswagen contemplating doing so. Just like the US, there’s a division between these automakers who’re ready for the transition and people who are combating it.

The FCAI is claiming that the NVFES will put up the worth of the best-selling Aussie utes (Ford Ranger and Toyota Hilux) by AU$8000. Tesla is planning to take the FCAI to the competitors watchdog — the Australian Competitors and Shopper Fee — for offering deceptive details about pricing. In fact, Australia’s conservative politicians are leaping on this as a ute tax (sound acquainted?), not realising, after all, that the NVES will save ute drivers hundreds a yr on decreased diesel and petrol payments. (Petrol hit AU$2.50 a litre this week.)

Let’s get out of the political mud and have a look at these nice stats for February Australian plug-in automobile gross sales. First, a pinch of actuality: January’s numbers were impacted by several issues (together with an insect infestation and delays in delivering the Tesla Mannequin 3 Highland), and EVs solely achieved a market penetration of 5%. Some have steered we should always common January and February numbers and declare that there was actually solely about 8% penetration a month throughout the 2 months. That’s a moist blanket method.

We knew it could be an thrilling month as increasingly posts appeared on Fb celebrating the supply of recent electrical vehicles. Not simply Teslas, however BYD Dolphins and Seals, ORA Cats, and MG4s, to call a couple of — a complete menagerie! Promoting has picked up on social media additionally, with adverts showing for VW’s ID.4 and ID Buzz, that are due for launch later this yr; Honda’s Prologue; Kia’s EV6; Renault’s Megane E-Tech; and Hyundai’s Ioniq 6, to call a couple of.

The VW advert particularly appeared to draw plenty of the same old FUD within the feedback, with VW representatives commenting positively the place they may and ignoring the unfavourable. Seems like they’ve realized to not feed the trolls. Different adverts didn’t appear to draw the identical negativity — no concept why.

The Subaru Solterra is an enormous hit on the “Creek to Coast” TV present, the place it’s demonstrating that it’s a true journey automobile. The Toyota BZ4X can also be being marketed. My concept is that as advertisers pay the media, FUD will lower. To date, that hasn’t occurred — particularly on social media, the place FUD appears to have elevated.

The highest ten greatest promoting BEVs in Australia in February 2024 have been:

1. Tesla Mannequin 3 — 3593 (YTD 4316)
2. Tesla Mannequin Y — 2072 (YTD 2456)
3. BYD Atto 3 — 711 (YTD 1167)
4. BYD Seal — 619 (YTD 1208)
5. MG4 — 446 (YTD 983)
6. BYD Dolphin — 219 (YTD 475)
7. Kia EV6 — 192 (YTD 391)
8. Volvo XC40 Recharge — 143 (YTD 309)
9. BMW i4 — 128
10. Polestar 2 — 113 (YTD 264)

Tesla was the very best promoting model, with 5665 gross sales; BYD second with 1549; and MG rounded out the rostrum with 446. MG’s numbers will enhance when the breakdown of the MG ZS EV numbers is launched — up to now, gross sales numbers embrace petrol, PHEV, and BEV numbers mixed. The chart actually isn’t altering a lot month to month. MG is because of launch one other two fashions this yr, and BYD one other three. I might count on that Tesla will proceed to dominate, with BYD prone to hold second and MG third place, until a brand new participant comes on the scene.

Regardless of Nice Wall Motors dropping the worth of its ORA, it nonetheless can’t compete with the MG4 and Dolphin. BYD is planning on launching the Seagull in Australia within the close to future. Will probably be renamed because the Dolphin Mini and is anticipated to undercut most of the petrol automobiles in its class. Value parity has arrived.

Some fascinating posts have appeared on social media prior to now month. My favorite is this one from New Zealand, the place a substitute petrol tank was dumped in entrance of chargers in a NZ nationwide park — now that’s ICEing!

Just a few fascinating feedback that appeared below the EV adverts:

Relating to the Polestar 2: “Can ya put a Roo bar on it and the way far will it go towing a tandem axel trailer loaded? 150km lol.” For our non-Australian readers, a roo bar protects the entrance of the automotive from injury in case you hit a kangaroo whereas driving exterior metropolitan areas. Although, I had a crafty one put its head by way of the hole and take out the headlight on my Ford Falcon a couple of years again. So, good level.

Beneath the Kia EV9: “actually as a lot as I might love a battery automobile they aren’t as environment friendly as I would like. I’ve a hybrid and 80 {dollars} will get me 1000ks so a 20 greenback saving isn’t actually sufficient.” He has some extent.

Energy outages in each Perth and Melbourne provoked a spread of posts from folks powering necessities with their V2L functionality — primarily Nissan Leafs and BYDs. There have been additionally feedback from many Tesla homeowners bemoaning the truth that their vehicles couldn’t do that.

“All day energy outage in the present day in my suburb. Operating home items (together with web) off my automotive — BYD Dolphin — primarily utilizing energy for web.”

A response: “We did that a few weeks in the past with the Melbourne storm energy outage. I used the upper capability outside extension lead. No issues about climate because it was simply out a window in to our carport and the V2L. Ran the fridge, lights, radio, system charging. No web because the outage was so intensive that Telstra NBN and even cellular web connections have been down. Simply goes to indicate how really important good energy providers are, for lots greater than mere EV charging.”

Some commented that they get a day with out energy each few weeks and discover the V2L indispensable.

Over 105,000 gentle automobiles have been offered in Australia in February 2024 — a document for February. Of these, 11,145 got here with a plug, whereas one other 3,876 have been gentle hybrids (HEVs). The three prime promoting fashions have been the Ford Ranger, the Toyota Hilux, and the Tesla Mannequin 3 in third.

Hopefully this yr would be the yr of the electrical ute and EVs can transfer into yet one more section of the Australian plug-in market.