Interest in electric vehicles and hybrid models keeps expanding, reflected in both sales data and recent research results.

mycar's 2026 Mobility Index shows that 46 percent of Australian car owners intend to purchase an EV or hybrid next, an increase from 36 percent the prior year.

The results stem from a Lonergan Research survey of 2025 Australian vehicle owners over age 18, carried out in April 2026.

This timing placed the poll right after fuel costs spiked across Australia, prompting a temporary government cut to the fuel excise. EV sales then jumped 111.6 percent compared to the previous year, hitting a record 19.9 percent share of the new vehicle market.

Fuel prices have since eased, although the excise cut was partly reversed on July 1, 2026 and will end fully on August 2.

Despite the impact of recent fuel costs, the mycar study identified ongoing obstacles to wider EV uptake.

One third of respondents doubted EV suitability for regional or long trips, and 23 percent viewed the initial price of EVs and hybrids as too high amid higher interest rates and living expenses.

Owners of traditional vehicles listed top worries about EVs and hybrids as reliability at 45 percent, running costs at 44 percent, and performance at 43 percent.

Those who switched to an EV or hybrid report strong satisfaction overall, with 86 percent of such owners expressing contentment with their choice.

Additional brands, many from China, continue entering the market with more affordable hybrid and EV choices. Still, 31 percent of owners expressed doubt about trusting newer brands regarding safety and durability over time.

Deepal, Leapmotor and Xpeng arrived late in 2024, followed by Omoda Jaecoo in 2025 when Geely also reentered after more than ten years away.

This year Ateco Automotive confirmed plans to introduce the Forthing brand, set to offer the lowest priced mid size electric SUV available locally.