The most popular vehicle sold in February was the Ford Ranger, followed by the Toyota HiLux. Electric vehicle (EV) sales in Australia rose to take up 9.6 percent of the new car market in February. However, utility vehicles still remain the most popular, according to the Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries (FCAI). FCAI chief executive Tony Weber said the popularity of utes would pose a challenge for the government’s planned fuel efficiency measures, that could limit the sale of certain vehicles deemed to have higher emissions.
Australian motorists’ strong preference for utes, accounting for 20.3 percent of sales in February, demonstrates the challenges with the proposed New Vehicle Efficiency Standard. Out of 21,327 utes sold in February, only one was an EV. Meanwhile, one in five vehicles sold overall were powered by low emissions technologies. Back in February 2023, battery electric vehicles made up only 6.8 percent of the market, while low emissions sales including hybrids made up 13.9 percent.
Sales in every state and territory improved in February 2024, when compared with the same month in 2023. Total vehicle sales in the Australian Capital Territory rose 19.9 percent, while they lifted 15.7 percent in New South Wales, and 21.9 percent in Queensland. In South Australia, vehicle transactions soared 16.3 percent, while they surged 28.5 percent in Tasmania, 29.8 percent in Victoria, 15.3 percent in Western Australia, and 20.1 percent in the Northern Territory.
Looking at the top-selling brands, Toyota came in first, recording 19,374 sales in February, compared to 7,350 for Mazda, and 7,275 for Ford. Nissan sold 6,617 vehicles, while Mitsubishi recorded 6,411 sales. However, the most popular individual vehicle sold was the Ford Ranger, followed by the Toyota HiLux, Tesla Model 3, Isuzu Ute D-Max, and Toyota RAV4. Meanwhile, the federal government is planning to introduce new vehicle efficiency standards for Australia. The government published an analysis of this new standard on Feb. 4 and closed submissions for a consultation on this plan on March 4. Climate Change and Energy Minister Chris Bowen claimed Australian families were paying $1,000 a year more than they needed to for fuel every year, due to the lack of action on an efficiency standard. Transport Minister Catherine King added, “The Albanese government favours a model which ensures achievable change, which will bring Australia in line with U.S. standards by 2028 and provide the optimal cost-benefit outcomes for Australian car buyers.”