Electric vehicles have come a long way in a short time in Australia. According to the Australian Automobile Association (AAA), only 2.7% of all new vehicles sold across the first quarter of 2022 were EVs. As recently as the first quarter of 2025, that figure sat at 6.3%. Q1 of 2026 saw that percentage shoot up to 12.3%, the first time EVs have made up over 10% of all sales across a whole quarter.
As you might expect, the perception of EVs has changed a hell of a lot in the space of a few years, too. That much was made clear in the 2026 edition of Savvy’s EV Sentiments Survey, the third time we’ve run this poll after releases in 2021 and 2023. So, how much have our thoughts changed over the last five years?
Despite increased EV adoption, the anti-electric crowd is growing
The number of respondents who either already own an EV or intend to buy one in the next 12 months has steadily increased over the three editions of the survey. In 2026, 6.8% claimed to have already purchased one, more than doubling the number from 2023 (3.3%) and tripling 2021’s (2.0%).
When combined with those who planned to buy in the near future, 17.0% are either already invested or soon to be in 2026, beating out 2023’s 13.5% and 2021’s 9.2%.
What’s interesting about the results from this question is that despite this increase in uptake, the number of people who consider themselves unlikely to buy one has also risen significantly over the years. That contingent made up 12.6% of 2021’s respondents but rose to 16.2% in 2023, before spiking to 28.2% this year.
That’s now more than one in four Aussies who prefer fuel-based cars enough to not really consider making the switch to electric. This surge has come in part through a drop in the number of people who feel they may purchase one in the future, from 41.3% in 2023 to 36.0% in 2026.
Surge in affordable EVs may be hurting their reputation
"There’s no doubting that the increasingly competitive pricing of EVs has been a major boon for the segment, opening doors for those who want to reduce their carbon footprint but couldn’t previously afford to make the switch. However, the shift towards budget Chinese manufacturers is taking some of the gloss off their comparatively luxurious former reputation, which in turn has pushed those previously on the fence further away from EVs."
Price still the biggest barrier to EV adoption
Almost half (49%) of respondents stated that they would make EVs more affordable when asked what changes they believed would make EV ownership more popular and accessible. That makes it comfortably the greatest concern among Aussies, but it’s far less prevalent than in previous years.
In Savvy’s initial survey, the number of people who stated that decreasing the price would be among the best moves for the accessibility of EVs sat at 78.5%, which dropped slightly to 76.3% in 2023.
This isn’t surprising, of course, when you consider the cheapest EV available at the time of the initial survey, the MG SZ EV, came at a base price of $21,000 more than the cheapest EV on the market today, the Atto 1 from BYD.
EV price drops a good start, but still a way to go
"With quite a few EVs available on the market now at a base price of under $40,000 brand-new, there are a lot more people in 2026 that can afford to buy one than in 2021. As of right now, though, there are only two models starting below $30,000, which is a mark that many families still can’t meet. To gain truly mainstream popularity and keep pushing ICE vehicles down, the $20,000 to $25,000 range is going to have to become more populated."
Range anxiety declines significantly
A central fear for many Aussies that stopped them from going electric was vehicle range. Compared to ICE vehicles, many EVs’ standard range left a bit to be desired, sitting in the ballpark of 250km to 400km between charges. At a time when EV infrastructure was less than ideal, those driving regularly and for long distances understandably didn’t want to be caught short.
In 2021, 51.3% wanted improved infrastructure and 39.5% wanted better driving range. In 2023, calls for charging availability went down (41.8%) but range anxiety rose slightly (40.7%). In 2026, though, both are down significantly at 25.1% and 29.4%, respectively.
Chargers are popping up more and more across the country, with fast charging stations reaching 1,272 sites at the midway point of 2025 and thousands more individual plugs available around Australia. That, coupled with cars like the Tesla Model 3 Long Range boasting up to 750km on a single charge, is doing enough to quell fears of running dry on the roads.
Growing number of chargers making all the difference
"It’s comforting to see an increasing number of public stations, not only as a current EV owner but someone who travels an above-average distance of more than 30,000km per year (even as someone who charges at home). Both range and speed of charging continue to improve, but as we see more and more EVs on the road, I think we'll see an improvement in charging site etiquette."
Very few understand how much EVs cost to charge
What the survey also revealed is that most Australians have no idea what it costs to charge an EV. More than three quarters of respondents (77%) stated that they didn’t know what the cost of EV charging was. SA residents claimed to have the most confidence in charging costs, with 33% saying they were aware of the cost of home charging.
When asked to estimate what an EV costs to charge at home, nearly half of respondents (47%) thought it costs $31 or more. 19% believed it costs $61 or more, representing one in five Aussies being well and truly off the mark in this area. The true average cost to charge an EV from home is closer to $20.40, and that's without a solar or home battery system, which would reduce the cost further.
Lack of knowledge over EV charging costs hardly a surprise
"It isn't surprising so few were confident in knowing how much it costs to charge an EV from home. While ownership of EVs and PHEVs is growing, it’s still a minority group of road users. Most people aren’t sure how to read their energy bill properly, let alone have an idea of what a single appliance costs to run or charge."
Tesla loses ground to new manufacturers
Tesla is considered a pioneer in the EV space and holds strong name recognition and a positive reputation with many prospective buyers. However, results from the 2026 edition of the Survey found that it’s no longer in the top two most sought-after EV brands in Australia.
Toyota was crowned the most desirable EV in Australia, thanks in no small part to its strength in the Aussie market, with 43.4% of respondents placing it in their top three. BYD wasn’t even on our shores when the survey was first held in 2021 but has done enough in the budget segment to beat out Tesla, outpolling it by 28.3% to 25.2%.
Kia finished fourth on 21.9%, while Hyundai, who finished first five years ago in terms of desirability, slid to fifth overall (20.4%). Mazda (18.4%) performed strongly, while Chery made its way into the top ten as another competitively priced Chinese manufacturer making waves down under.
| Most desirable EV brands: 2021 | Most desirable EV brands: 2026 | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hyundai | Toyota |
| 2 | Tesla | BYD |
| 3 | Mazda | Tesla |
| 4 | MG | Kia |
| 5 | Nissan | Hyundai |
| 6 | Kia | Mazda |
| 7 | Lexus | BMW |
| 8 | Mercedes-Benz | Mercedes-Benz |
| 9 | BMW | Audi |
| 10 | Audi | Chery |
Affordability and reliability preffered over high tech
"While Tesla had been leading sales of BEVs in Australia, that's no longer the case. So far this year BYD has surpassed them. As we reach higher EV adoption from the general public, families are instead focused on the reliable brand of Toyota or more affordable brand of BYD."
