A new survey from the NRMA motoring group of over 40,000 of its members has revealed that owners of conventional internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles are more concerned with current fuel prices than electric vehicle (EV) owners are with range anxiety.
The NRMA says the survey of its 42,472 members across the country revealed that 68 per cent of EV owners remain concerned about a lack of charging infrastructure, while 75 per cent of ICE drivers said they were most concerned about rising fuel costs.
The survey included just 1,730 EV owners, accounting for approximately 4 per cent of respondents, with more than 30,000 ICE drivers reported rising fuel costs as their greatest concern.
And while EV drivers currently account for only a small slice of Australia’s motoring fleet, NRMA’s data show that there is a significant change underway on the country’s roads, driven at least in part by rising fuel costs.
“NRMA members confirm the raw data of monthly sales reports: EVs are no longer burgeoning, but booming,” said Peter Khoury, NRMA’s head of media.
“In a year of oil shock, 2026 will be seen as a tipping point. Motorists have in unprecedented numbers sought vehicles that run on Australian electricity rather than imported fuel.
“NRMA’s own cost data analysis shows that when whole of life ownership cost is measured, EVs are almost at parity with equivalent fuel driven cars.”
The NRMA’s survey data also shows that the concerns of EV drivers are beginning to shift, with previously well-publicised concerns around EV ownership such as purchase price and range anxiety diminishing over time.
A lack of EV charging infrastructure remains the greatest concern, with 68 per cent of EV owners rating it as a concern, 59 per cent pointing to poor road conditions, and 56 per cent pointing to speeding or dangerous drivers.
Interestingly, the survey also found that 72 per cent of EV owners surveyed are planning on taking a road trip in the next 12 months – a figure which is 8 percentage points higher than the general population, putting yet another stake through the idea that EVs will ruin your weekend.
In fact, 92 per cent of EV owners surveyed said that they find travel “quite easy”, “very easy”, or “extremely easy”, compared to 89 per cent of all respondents.
Even though EV owners currently account for only a small proportion of drivers, that number is only going to grow, as EV and electrified vehicle uptake accelerates. Numbers published by the NRMA earlier this month revealed that electrified vehicles accounted for 49.16 per cent of the market of new car sales in the second quarter, including 69,414 battery electric vehicles.
You can find The Driven’s detailed EV sales data here: Australian electric vehicle sales by month in 2026; by model and by brand.
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