NSW leads EV uptake by numbers, but ACT tops in market share

New figures showing state by state breakdowns of electric vehicle uptake in calendar 2022 shows that NSW topped the country in terms of absolute sales, but the ACT led easily in terms of share of market.

According to new quarterly data released by the Federated Chamber of Automotive Industries, which for the first time focuses on low emissions vehicles – full battery electrics, hybrids and hydrogen cars, NSW led EV uptake in three out of four quarters of last year. A total of 10,798 EVs were sold in the state in 2022.

The only quarter when NSW did not top the sales was in the December quarter, when it was pipped by Victoria.

The performance of the ACT is interesting.

In every quarter it it had the highest percentage of EV sales in proportion to the overall new car market. In the September quarter, its  519 EV sales delivered a 12.7 per cent share of the new car market for EVs in the capital territory. That almost certainly points to the relative wealth of residents in the ACT.

Part of the success in NSW has been greater EV infrastructure. According to the latest EV fast-charger tracking data from carloop, there are 58.6% more active fast-charging sites in NSW than there are in Victoria. 

As of March 2023, NSW fast-charger count sits at 157 fast-charging sites compared to only 99 in Victoria. More than 34% of all active fast-charging sites across Australia are based in NSW.

With EV adoption on the rise and rapid growth only around the corner, data and regular reports that paint a more accurate picture would help governments, private companies and others make informed decisions. 

This would ultimately ensure that Australian roads are decarbonised with minimal hiccups along the way while bringing all drivers on the electrification journey.