{"id":19864,"date":"2026-04-02T16:07:23","date_gmt":"2026-04-02T05:07:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/electricvehiclecouncil.com.au\/?p=19864"},"modified":"2026-04-02T16:07:23","modified_gmt":"2026-04-02T05:07:23","slug":"tesla-and-polestar-sales-surge-as-ev-demand-grows-amidst-international-fuel-crisis","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/electricvehiclecouncil.com.au\/media-releases\/tesla-and-polestar-sales-surge-as-ev-demand-grows-amidst-international-fuel-crisis\/","title":{"rendered":"Tesla and Polestar Sales Surge as EV Demand Grows Amidst International Fuel Crisis"},"content":{"rendered":"

EV sales are up 40% in the first quarter of 2026<\/strong>, compared with the same period last year for two leading brands, according to new data released today by the Electric Vehicle Council.<\/p>\n

Tesla and Polestar sold a combined 7,725 vehicles in the first quarter of 2026<\/strong>, up from 5,549<\/strong> in the same period in 2025.<\/p>\n

In March 2026<\/strong> alone, Polestar and Tesla sold a combined 3,645 new vehicles<\/strong> with March sales growing 21.1% year-on-year<\/strong> and up 6.6% from the previous month, February 2026<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

EVC CEO Julie Delvecchio <\/strong>said interest in EVs was growing rapidly, as people look to save up to $3,000 per year in running costs.<\/p>\n

Second-hand EV sales in March for Pickles were up 60% on February<\/strong> and EV searches on the Pickles website jumped 163% month\u2011on\u2011month<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

New data from Pickles shows 82% of used EVs are selling under $50,000<\/strong> – with 43% under $30,000<\/strong>. Commonwealth Bank reported their lending data saw a 161%<\/strong> lift in demand for EV finance since the start of March.<\/p>\n

EVC CEO Julie Delvecchio<\/strong> said the numbers reflected a fundamental shift in how Australians think about EVs.<\/p>\n

“With fuel prices rising, every EV on the road is doing something simple but powerful – taking pressure off fuel supply for the people who need it most.\u201d\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cEV drivers are driving the country\u2019s fuel resilience while cutting costs on their household budget. This has never been more important than now, given the PM\u2019s address urging people to use petrol and diesel responsibly and \u2018save fuel for people who have no choice but to drive\u201d.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cVolatile global oil markets are changing the conversation. Australians aren’t asking whether EVs are the future anymore. They’re asking which one they can get their hands on, and when.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

Thom Drew, Tesla Country Director, Australia & New Zealand <\/strong>said more stock is on the way.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe fuel crisis is pushing Australians to look for more certainty – both on energy and cost of living – and EVs are delivering exactly that.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re seeing strong customer demand clear out local stock, so we\u2019re ramping up Q2 supply, with more vehicles arriving over the coming weeks.\u201d<\/p>\n

Scott Maynard, Polestar Australia Managing Director <\/strong>said the market is changing.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere is a clear sense of urgency from customers, which is driving strong order volumes. Interest in Polestar\u2019s electric cars is surging in Australia. Test drive bookings have tripled in the last fortnight, and traffic to our showrooms is what we\u2019d expect to see during a sale event. The vulnerable state of our nation\u2019s fuel security has been exposed, and won’t magically improve when the current crisis ends.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles Brand Director Nathan Johnson <\/strong>said operating costs are driving interest.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re seeing steady growth in enquiries and conversion for electric Volkswagen passenger and commercial vehicles, with more businesses exploring how EVs can reduce operating costs in everyday use. While the transition is happening gradually, interest is clearly rising and our expanding electric lineup in Australia is designed to support customers as they take their first steps into e\u2011mobility.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

Hyundai\u2019s Chief Operating Officer Gavin Donaldson<\/strong> said market conditions are driving uptake.<\/p>\n

\u201cHyundai is seeing a clear increase in consumer interest in electric vehicles as Australians respond to rising petrol prices and heightened global fuel market uncertainty. These conditions are accelerating the shift toward EVs, which offer lower running costs, greater energy security and reduced exposure to international supply shocks.\u201d\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

Audi Australia\u2019s Brand Director Jeff Mannering, <\/strong>said knowledge of EVs is improving.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat we\u2019re seeing now is a maturing BEV and PHEV market where customers arrive with a better understanding of the technology, charging and real\u2011world range. That shift in confidence is accelerating demand for our electric and plug-in hybrid models, and we are experiencing momentum for these models online and in showrooms.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

Julie Delvecchio<\/strong> said now was not the time to change policy settings to make EVs more expensive.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe Electric Car Discount, currently under review, is making EVs more available than ever before. Removing or scaling it back risks depriving Australians of $3,000 a year in savings on fuel and maintenance costs. With the cost-of-living front of mind for every Australian family, those savings couldn’t be more timely.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cWhat we’re seeing is a tipping point. The fuel crisis hasn’t created interest in EVs –\u00a0it’s accelerated a shift that was already underway. Our website saw almost 100,000 page views in the past month, up 71%, with 97% of visitors new to our site. The most visited page? ‘EVs available in Australia.’ Australians are ready – the industry needs to meet them there.”<\/em><\/p>\n

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