Australia set to pass 100,000 electric vehicle milestone: report

New research led by Australia's Electric Vehicle Council (EVC) has said Australia is on track to pass the milestone of having 100,000 electric vehicles, as there are approximately 83,000 light EVs on roads.

In a report released on Tuesday which recapped Australia's EV industry in 2022, the council pointed out that of the 83,000 EVs, 79 percent are battery electric vehicles (BEVs) versus 21 percent plug-in hybrids (PHEVs), while only 44,000 EVs were in circulation at the beginning of 2022.

The report noted that the number of EVs purchased in Australia rose by 86 percent last year, with 3.8 percent of all new cars purchased being electric.

"New EV purchases in Australia almost doubled in 2022, compared to 2021. While this is a promising sign that the local market is continuing to grow," the report wrote.

The range of EV models purchased during 2022 also expanded, with a total of 70 different EV models delivered to the Australian market made up of 38 BEVs and 32 PHEVs.

The top 20 EV models were led by Tesla Model 3, Tesla Model Y and BYD Atto 3.

The report, however, said new EV purchases in Australia still "significantly trail the global average," which is currently estimated to have been between 12 to 14 percent in 2022.

"If you think you're seeing more EVs on the road than you used to, you're right, but if we want to hit our national emissions targets we won't make it on this current trajectory," said EVC Chief Executive Officer Behyad Jafari.

"To achieve the federal government's emission target we'll need a near fully zero-emission vehicle fleet by 2050. To stay on track that means reaching 1 million EVs by 2027 and around 3 million by 2030," Jafari added.

He called for more reforms to transition away from the exhaust pipe.