CANBERRA, Sept. 3 (Xinhua) -- Electric vehicle sales in Australia hit a new record high in August as the popularity of Chinese cars continued to rise, according to industry data.
The Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries (FCAI) said on Thursday that battery electric vehicles (BEVs) accounted for 24.9 percent of all new vehicle sales across the country in August, surpassing the previous record of 23.3 percent set in June.
It marks the fourth consecutive month that BEVs accounted for at least 20 percent of new vehicle sales after the milestone was first achieved in May amid rising fuel costs.
The FCAI said that BEV sales in August were up 171 percent from August 2025.
According to the data, Chinese manufacturers BYD, GWM, MG, Geely and Chery all ranked in the top 10 most popular brands in Australia in August.
BYD delivered 8,231 new vehicles to Australian customers in August, second among all manufacturers behind only Toyota, compared to 4,877 in August 2025.
Geely sold 4,504 new vehicles in Australia for the month, an increase of over 1000 percent from 401 sales in August 2025.
Tony Weber, chief executive of the FCAI, said that the Australian automotive market is undergoing a significant structural shift.
The sustained level of BEV sales, together with changing brand preferences, shows how quickly consumer choice and competition are reshaping Australia's new-vehicle market, he said.
As of the end of August, BYD had sold 68,423 new vehicles in Australia in 2026, up 108 percent from 32,839 at the same point in 2025. ■
