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2023 Polestar 3 Revealed Whichcar 1

What do electric cars mean for Australian buyers?

Electric vehicles are rapidly becoming a force in the Australian market, not only for new-car buyers but also increasingly as worthy options for those shopping in the used-car market.

Of course, it's taken decades of experimentation and development to finally make EVs a realistic option for the mass market. If not for a small quirk of fate, we might've been driving electric cars from the early part of the twentieth century – the world’s first electric car was made in the 1890s.

A hundred years later, and the tide is turning towards EVs again – and even though Australia lags behind the rest of the world, there is sufficient momentum locally to consider an EV as your next car.

It’s not all cut and dried yet – and there are still financial implications to consider – but if you’re considering an electric car for your next vehicle, you’ll find all the information right here.

Pictured: The upcoming Polestar 3, due in Australia by early 2024.

Popular Electric Cars



Top 10 fastest-charging EVs in Australia

ModelUsable battery capacityMax slow charge rate (AC)Max fast charge rate (DC)
Hyundai Ioniq 574kWh10.5kW350kW
Hyundai Ioniq 674kWh10.5kW350kW
Kia EV674kWh10.5kW350kW
Genesis GV6074kWh10.5kW350kW
Genesis Electrified GV7074kWh10.5kW350kW
Genesis Electrified G8082.5kWh10.5kW350kW
Porsche Taycan83.5kWh11kW (22kW on select models)270kW
Audi E-Tron GT85kWh11kW270kW
Tesla Model 3 (Long Range, Performance)75kWh11kW250kW
Tesla Model Y (Long Range, Performance)75kWh11kW250kW

Top 20 EVs by claimed driving range

ModelRange (km)ModelRange (km)
BMW i7 xDrive60625Tesla Model 3 Performance547
BMW iX xDrive50 Sport620Polestar 2 Long Range Single Motor540
Hyundai Ioniq 6 Dynamiq RWD614Tesla Model Y Long Range533
Polestar 3 Long Range Dual Motor610MG 4 Essence Long Range530
Tesla Model 3 Long Range602Kia EV6 Air RWD528
Ford Mustang Mach-E Premium600Mercedes-AMG EQS 53 sedan526
BMW iX M60566BMW i4 eDrive 40520
BMW i7 M70 xDrive560Genesis Electrified G80520
Polestar 3 Long Range Dual Motor with Performance Pack560Hyundai Ioniq 6 Techniq/Epiq AWD519
Mercedes-Benz EQE 300 sedan550Tesla Model Y Performance514

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🔌 Find an EV charger anywhere in Australia

The below map is produced by PlugShare. Wheels Media does not own or control the data shown.

Charging rates (May 2023)

Charging provider and station speedPriceCharging provider and station speedPrice
Chargefox 50kW DC$0.45 per kWhEvie Networks 50kW DC$0.45 per kWh
Chargefox 350kW DC$0.60 per kWhEvie Networks 350kW DC$0.60 per kWh
Ampol AmpCharge 150kW DC$0.69 per kWhBP Pulse 75kW DC$0.55 per kWh
Tesla Superchargers 150kW/250kW DC∼$0.48 to $0.69 per kWh variable rate (or ∼$0.65 to $0.81 per kWh for non-Tesla EVs without membership at select pilot sites)
b82d09ef/gallery 2019 tesla model 3 performance acceleration jpg

Are Aussies embracing EVs?


💰 EV sales in Australia over the past 12 months

While Australian sales of electric vehicles are growing each month, their relatively high prices means they still hold only a tiny share of the new-car market.

Slow growth is also likely impacted by hesitation driven by range anxiety and battery longevity.

📈 EV sales vs petrol, diesel and hybrid

Petrol remains the most popular option by far – thanks primarily to the number of affordable models available – but EV sales are showing clear growth.

EV sales charted against petrol, diesel & hybrid

The below chart shows cumulative growth in sales over the past 12 months, separated by fuel type.