Electric Vehicle Council data shows sales tripled in 2021

New data from the Electric Vehicle Council shows sales in Australia climbed from 6900 in 2020 to 20,665 in 2021.

Canberra drivers purchased 825 electric vehicles last year, making up 5.01 per cent of all cars purchased in the ACT in 2021.

Nationally, 1.95 per cent of vehicles sold were electric, with Tesla miles out in front as the most popular maker.

Of the more than 20,000 electric vehicles sold nationwide last year, 12,094 were the Tesla Model 3, which cost about $60,000.

Tesla Owners Club of Australia president Mark Tipping said membership was increasing across all jurisdictions, with drivers mostly joining as a way to share information.

Mr Tipping said supply was one of the biggest hurdles preventing the electric vehicle uptake occurring even faster.

"Cars don't arrive here unless they're already sold," Mr Tipping said.

"Although Tesla has managed to ride the supply issue storm better than most auto manufacturers, the pandemic certainly hasn't helped anyone."

He said the time between purchase and delivery of the Tesla Model 3 was currently about 20 weeks.

"I ordered my first Tesla in August 2014 and it arrived in August 2015," he said.

"I've driven this car right across the country - absolutely no regrets."

Tesla opened a store on Bunda Street in Canberra in late 2021, providing consumers the opportunity to try before they buy.

Electric Vehicle Council chief executive Behyad Jafari said Australia desperately needed the federal government to incentivise the purchase of electric vehicles, as had occurred in other developed nations.

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Mr Jafari said sales figures would rocket ahead with the introduction of electric vehicle rebates and fuel efficiency standards for all cars.

"As a wealthy, car-loving, early-adapting nation, Australia should be an electric vehicle leader," Mr Jafari said.

"If we were we could restart a thriving manufacturing industry supporting thousands of quality jobs. But we need to build rapidly on this current momentum.

"After so many wasted years, Australia's a long way back from the pack, but then again the cool thing about electric cars is how quickly they move from zero to 100."

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