- Australia's EV share hit a record 46.4% of new-car sales in May, nearing half the market.
- BYD surged to second place with 8,211 May registrations and plans to ship 30,000 more vehicles.
- Four Chinese brands—BYD, Great Wall, Chery, and MG—entered Australia’s top 10 brand rankings.
Australia’s overall new-vehicle market declined in May, but strong growth in electric vehicle sales helped cushion the downturn and prevented a steeper drop in total industry volumes.
According to data released by the Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries (FCAI) and the Electric Vehicle Council (EVC), total new-vehicle registrations in Australia reached 106,887 units in May 2026, down 2.3% year-on-year.
Battery electric vehicle (BEV) registrations rose to 21,303 units, surging 111.6% from a year earlier.
BEVs accounted for 19.9% of the market, marking the first time the segment has approached one-fifth of total vehicle sales.
Plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) expanded even faster. Registrations reached 9,315 units in May, up 202.3% year-on-year.
Combining BEVs, PHEVs and HEVs, new-energy vehicles accounted for 46.4% of Australia’s new-car market, approaching half of total industry sales.
As demand for electrified vehicles continues to grow, Chinese automakers are steadily expanding their presence in Australia.
Four Chinese brands—BYD, Great Wall Motor, Chery and MG—ranked among the country’s top 10 best-selling automotive brands in May.
BYD remained the fastest-growing major player. The company registered 8,211 vehicles in May, up 154.6% year-on-year, securing second place in Australia’s brand sales ranking for a second consecutive month, behind only Toyota.
During the first five months of the year, BYD registrations reached 33,454 units, representing growth of 120%.
In April, BYD announced that its cumulative new-energy vehicle deliveries in Australia had surpassed 100,000 units. Based on current growth trends, the company’s market share continues to expand.
To meet rising demand, BYD has confirmed plans to ship an additional 30,000 vehicles to Australia. The first vessel carrying 4,810 vehicles arrived at a local port earlier this week.
Great Wall Motor also maintained growth momentum. The company registered 4,660 vehicles in May, up 9.1% year-on-year, ranking eighth among all automotive brands in Australia.
Chery followed closely with 4,401 registrations, a 59.7% increase from a year earlier.
The Omoda Jaecoo J5 and Tiggo 4 Pro were the brand’s primary volume drivers, combining for 4,295 units and both securing positions among Australia’s top 10 best-selling vehicle models in May.
MG also posted solid growth, with sales rising 18.4% year-on-year to 3,872 units. The MG4 and ZS EV contributed approximately 970 units combined.
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