Australian EV sales bounce back in March to end quarter on high, despite Tesla struggles

Note: This story has been corrected after the EVC admitted sending out the wrong data for 2024 to the media on Thursday.

After quite a slow start to EV sales in the first two months of 2025, the Australian EV market has bounced back from the downward sales trend, with EVs making up 7.5% of the total market in March. 

The latest data from the Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries (FCAI) and Electric Vehicle Council (EVC) shows that 8,385 battery electric vehicles were sold in Australia in March – a share of 7.5 per cent of the overall new car market, which totalled 111,617 vehicles sold during the month. 

The March 2025 numbers are lower than the same month in 2024, when 10,464 EVs were sold and EVs made up 9.5% of the market. That result was also driven by a booming month of Model Y sales in March 2024, but this year sales in both the Model Y  and the Model 3 have slumped dramatically in response to consumer reaction to Elon Musk and the wait for new Model Y.

The data from the FCAI and EVC highlights a number of key trends: Tesla sales are down significantly over the quarter (see separate story), and BYD is catching up, although mostly through its sales of its plug in hybrids – the new favourite fuel type for Australian consumers – and particularly its Shark 6 plug in ute.

As per previous months, the data was separated with two suppliers; the FCAI shared 5,374 EVs – and those supplied by the Electric Vehicle Council – 3,011 – from Tesla and Polestar.

EV Sales Breakdown – March 2025

EV sales over the first three months of 2025 are 17,902, sharply down from the 25,552 in the same period in 2024, and almost entirely the result of the fall in Tesla sales, which are down 7,600 over the same period. The latest month appears to show a catching up as supply and competition improve.

PHEVs also played a role with BYD seeing Sealion 6 and Shark 6 ute make up 3,600 sales, although it should be noted that this boost was likely driven by the final month of FBT exemption of the PHEVs.

Looking into the EV models that made up the top 5, Tesla had its best month in 2025 so far with Model Y accounting for 1,725 sales in March, which was more than the first two months combined when a total of 1,389 were seen. This is also expected to improve in May and June when deliveries of the new Model Y begin.

Tesla Model 3 followed in number two with 1,104 sales during the month, showcasing the resilience in the sedan, despite many buyers leaning towards the SUV options.

The new BYD Sealion 7 was in the third spot in its first full month with 573 sales. Despite this, it did not outsell the Model Y as many had expected.

Kia took the fourth spot with 478 Kia EV5 sales, making it the best month for the mid-sized SUV from the South Korean brand. Its new EV3 had 186 sales, which only began in the last week of the month, and came in just behind the competing Geely X5.

Topping out the top 5, the more affordable MG4 took the fifth spot with 444 sales.

Other notable mentions in March were the Geely EX5 deliveries, which kicked off the month with 188 sales, having only launched during the month with a lower-than-expected price.

The best-selling EVs in March 2025 were:

• Tesla Model Y – 1,725 sales
• Tesla Model 3 – 1,104 sales
• BYD Sealion 7 – 573 sales
• Kia EV5 – 478 sales
• MG MG4 – 444 sales
• BYD Atto 3 – 358 sales
• Mercedes-Benz EQE SUV – 219 sales
• BYD Seal – 194 sales
• Geely EX5 – 188 sales
• Kia EV3 – 186 sales

The Driven is waiting to hear back from various manufacturers regarding sales of some EV models, and this list will be updated once they’re received.  Please see our month by month sales data for more information.

The main car lobby, the FCAI, continue to lament the slow take up of EVs. Tesla and Polestar handed in their memberships last year because of the FCAI’s refusal to embrace supportive EV policies.

 “We are at a critical point in transitioning to a lower-emission vehicle fleet. But the reality is clear: Australian families and businesses are not shifting in large numbers to EVs,” FCAI boss Toney Weber said in a statement. 

“While the supply of EVs is increasing, now with 89 models available in Australia, the demand for EVs is weak. The early adopters have acted but the rest of the vehicle-buying public has not followed. This is consistent with a number of other advanced markets around the world.  

“The Australian automotive industry has long advocated for an ambitious and achievable emissions standard. Once again, questions must be asked about the Government’s modelling and, in particular, their assumptions about consumer acceptance of new low-emissions technologies.”

The EVC had a more positive spin, noting it was a record month for combine EV and PHEV sales, which together accounted for 14.25 per cent of the total new car market.

“Electric vehicle sales in Australia are going from strength to strength, with sales in 2025 already surpassing figures from this time last year, both in total numbers and as a proportion of overall sales,” EVC CEO Julie Delvecchio said, describing it as a “watershed” moment.

“At a time when cost-of-living has never been more important, more than a quarter of a million Australians are now enjoying the benefits of driving EVs that are cheaper to run, saving around $3,000 every year or even more for those travelling further in our regions and outer suburbs.

“Now is not the time to be changing our standards, amending the New Vehicle Efficiency Standard or creating even more uncertainty for Australians – the NVES has already started working and these latest figures prove it.”

As newer affordable models, such as those by Geely and BYD, also make it to market in larger volumes in the coming months, new buyers will have plenty to choose from, making ICE cars a thing of the past.

See full details of EV sales for each month of the year in our database here.