November Update: Steady As She Goes for Australian Plugin Vehicle Sales – CleanTechnica

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As the year draws to a close, my email inbox and my Facebook page are filled with offers from car dealers. Cash back from BYD, free charging from another, even discounts on Cadillac LYRIQ! New cars are still being launched – such as the Leap Motor B10, the BYD Atto 1 and the all-electric Musso ute from KGM (formerly known as SsangYong). More on that later. The market is hot, but the sales numbers don’t show it yet.

Of the 97,037 new cars sold in November, 4,768 were plug-in hybrids and 9,081 were fully battery-powered. PHEVs 4.3%; BEV 9.4% with combined plug-in vehicle penetration approaching 14%. According to the EVDB, HEV sales increased to a 16.4% share, while oil and diesel fell.

“PHEVs were excellent performers,” celebrates the Federal Chamber of the Automotive Industry. “Across the passenger car, SUV and light commercial vehicle segments, PHEV sales for the month reached 4,768, up 83.3 percent from November 2024. Year-to-date PHEV sales are up 130.6 percent to 47,565 units as more models enter the market and consumer awareness increases. The latest VFACTS data shows rapid growth in hybrid and PH buyer preferences. And this despite the removal of federal tax incentives for PHEVs.The Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries (FCAI) has chosen to emphasize the growth of PHEVs and appears reluctant to promote BEVs.

Although he has to admit that “gasoline vehicles continued their downward trajectory, with total oil sales down 18.1 percent in November and down 9.5 percent year-to-date.” This shows a permanent shift in buyers’ priorities. It is worth noting that FCAI is dominated by fossil fuel car manufacturers. Tesla and Polestar dropped out of the group.

“The decline in gasoline is part of a long-term transformation of the global market. We are seeing a lot of interest in hybrid and plug-in hybrid vehicles, and this trend will only accelerate as more models arrive,” said CEO of the Federal Chamber of Automotive Industry Tony Weber. In Australia, BEVs represent 8.2% of the market year to date. Year-on-year, BEVs rose from 6.5% in 2024 to 9.1% in November. To date, 92,885 BEVs have been sold in the Australian market, compared to 91,293 for the full year 2024. It will be interesting to see what December brings.

Let’s not forget that with every sale of plug-in vehicles there is a simultaneous decrease in sales of internal combustion engine vehicles, as noted in the comments section of this CleanTechnica article. These numbers are for global numbers, not just for Australia.

“ICE sales were stagnant in October compared to last year, when electric cars made up 26% of the global market. They are now at 28%.” I was paraphrasing reader “trackdaze’s” comments there. By October 2024, 13.46 million electric cars and 53.8 million ICE cars had been sold worldwide. In 2025, by October, 16.46 million electric cars and 46.8 million ICE cars have been sold worldwide. The sound you can hear is the sound of the ICE melting. 7 million in sales disappeared year-on-year.

Now for the top twelve numbers back in Australia (cue roll)…

1. Tesla Model Y – 2,269 sold in November 2025, 20,241 sold year to date
2. BYD Sea Lion 7 – 1,040 sold in November, 10,864 YTD
3. Zeekr 7X — 682 in Nov, 913 YTD
4. Tesla Model 3 — 433 in November, 6,030 YTD
5. Geely EX5 — 412 in November, 3,770 YTD
6. BYD Atto 2 — 365 in November, 365 YTD
7. Kia EV5 — 300 in November, 4,541 YTD
8. BYD Atto 3 — 261 in Nov, 3,591 YTD
9. Kia EV3 — 235 in November, 2,416 YTD
10. MG S5 — 222 ni Nov, 1,688 YTD
11. Xpeng G6 — 175 in November, 1,925 YTD (these are approximate numbers).
12. BYD Seal — 157 in November, 3,371 YTD

Like global sales, BYD dominates with numbers spread across multiple models. Atto 2 made a spectacular debut in the top ten in its first month! There is some speculation that the large number of models will lead to cannibalization of near-same-brand competitors (eg Sealion 7 undercutting Atto 3 sales?), but the overall numbers are for BYD. Meanwhile, the Tesla Model Y came in at No. 5 in the top 10 best-selling cars of all powertrains.

The BYD Shark 6 appears to be the best-selling PHEV, with 1,217 units delivered in November. The latest figures (October) show that the Shark was followed by the Sealion 6, Mitsubishi Outlander, Great Wall Motors Haval H6, Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross, BMW X3, GWM Canon Alpha, Mazda CX 60, Mazda CX 80 and finally the Ford Ranger PHEV.

To whet the appetite of our readers, I will include information from my recent conversation with a Village Motors sales representative about the upcoming arrival of the Musso. When we can, Majella and I will visit the car and bring more information and photos. For those who can’t wait — check out the website. Unfortunately it’s not in red.

“We expect the cars to arrive in stock very soon.” Here’s a summary of pricing and key specs:

• RWD model: from AU$60,000
• Range: 420 km, combined
• Maximum power: 152 kW
• Maximum torque: 349 Nm
• Payload: 905 kg
• Towing capacity: 1,800 kg
• 2WD Black Badge option: AU$62,000 – includes above spec plus 17in black alloy wheels + leather and suede seats + stainless steel door sill plates + black door mirrors, tailgate lettering and bonnet trim and C-pillar trim
• Integrated rear headrest hinges
• Black steering wheel frame
• Suede upper door trim and center trim
• AWD model: from AU$64,000
• Expected range for AWD is 380 km in total
• Maximum power: 266 kW
• Maximum torque: 630 Nm
• Payload: 805 kg
• Towing capacity: 1,800 kg

“We are already accepting deposits from interested customers.

“The KGM Musso EV has an 80.6kWh Lithium Iron Phosphate (LFP) battery sourced from BYD. This battery capacity is standard on both 2WD and AWD models.”

And that’s not all! Guangzhou Automobile Group’s Aion V has just been launched, and GAC already offers a range of top-up and discount sweeteners. I ordered a test drive and will let you know how it goes. GAC is one of the largest automakers in China, with cars for Australia produced in Thailand.

Rumors abound about a possible launch in 2026. One example is Honda, which is launching the Super-One, a “playful city center electric car”. Another is Hyundai importing its Elexio. JAC (Anhui Jianghuai Automobile Group Corp) brings an electric car to the party — the T9 was unveiled at the Melbourne Motor Show. You can read more about it here.

What if the Mazda 6e joins the fun? The future is indeed bright and electric on Australian roads.