Tesla has delivered another near record month of sales in August, continuing the surge in EV sales in Australia and pointing to a likely “structural shift” in the country’s new car market and the uptake of electric vehicles.
Data released by the Electric Vehicle Council on Wednesday showed that tesla and Polestar recorded total sales of 7,821 in the month, a rise of 148 per cent from August last year and the second best total, behind only the 8,924 sales achieved in June this year.
The results point to a third consecutive month of EV sales reaching more than 20 per cent of Australia’s new car market, and will be confirmed by the release of data from other car manufacturers on Thursday.
The EVC data is dominated by Tesla, which recorded 7,685 sales in the month, with the Model Y electric SUV recording 6,414 delivered and the Model 3 electric sedan rebounding after some slow months to achieve sales of 1,271.
The Model Y’s total means it will retain its mantle of the best selling electric car in Australia, and quite possibly the best of any passenger vehicle in the country, depending on the results from the popular utes, the Toyota Hilux and the Ford Ranger.
Tesla has now assed 36,000 annual sales for the first time, with another four months to go in the calendar year, although BYD – which offers more models – is the leading brand with 34,500 sales for the year, with August data to come that should take it beyond 40,000.
“The sustained growth in monthly and annual EV sales points to a structural shift in Australia’s car market,” EVC CEO Julie Delvecchio said in a statement.
“Environmental and economic considerations are coming together, changing what Australians buy and how they spend.”
“EVs are not only close to or at price parity with petrol cars, but Australians are also increasingly looking beyond the purchase price to what a vehicle will cost them over the years they own it. They are choosing electric vehicles to cut both their household bills and emissions.”
“Australians now have real choice in the market, and they’re choosing electric because EVs are cleaner and cheaper to run.”
In state by state data, year-to-date sales of Tesla and Polestar vehicles in NSW, Queensland and South Australia more than doubled, with South Australia recording a nation-leading 12x increase in combined Tesla and Polestar sales in August 2026 (347) v August 2025 (28).
- The EVC noted that the continued surge in monthly and annual EV sales aligns with new data released on Wednesday by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS), which noted the strong role that EV purchases were playing in maintaining economic growth.
“The rise in electric vehicle purchases may have reflected households taking a longer-term approach to cost of living pressures, with some choosing EVs to help reduce ongoing expenses,” ABS head of national accounts, Grace Kim was quoted as saying.
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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