All Top 7 EVs Sold in Australia in June Linked to China

In June 2024, Australia set a new monthly record for electric vehicle (EV) sales, with seven EV models each registering over 1,000 units—all linked to China. Six of these were Chinese brands: the BYD Sealion 7 (4,730 units), BYD Atto 2 (2,482 units), Geely EX5 (2,303 units), Omoda Jaecoo J5 (2,096 units), Zeekr 7X (1,868 units), and MG4 Urban (1,015 units). The seventh was the Tesla Model Y (8,072 units)—an American brand, but all units sold in Australia are produced at Tesla’s Gigafactory in Shanghai. Previously, only one or two EV models consistently exceeded 1,000 monthly sales in Australia, primarily the Tesla Model Y, Model 3, or BYD Sealion 7. In June, five additional best-selling models—all Chinese brands—entered the market within the past year. Meanwhile, Tesla Model 3 sales dropped to 12th place. Of these seven top-selling models, four were priced below AUD 50,000, with the BYD Atto 2, Omoda Jaecoo J5, and MG4 Urban all under AUD 40,000. Moreover, when including plug-in hybrid and hybrid models, BYD’s total sales in June nearly surpassed Toyota, positioning it as Australia’s top-selling automotive brand across all vehicle categories. That month, EVs accounted for 23.5% of Australia’s total new car sales, rising to 43.5% in the Australian Capital Territory. The Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries stated that the market is undergoing a “structural shift.”