Second-hand cars: Electric and Hybrid sales soar 37 per cent, petrol motor vehicle rates fall

Australia’s new-found love for hybrid cars is impacting the second-hand market, with thousands more low-emission vehicles changing hands and pushing down sales of pure petrol models.

The Australian Automotive Dealer Association and AutoGrab revealed the trend on Tuesday, with figures showing used hybrid car sales had soared by 37 per cent during October.

Electric and plug-in hybrid vehicle sales also grew during the month, while sales of petrol cars fell slightly.

The data reflects similar trends in Australia’s new car market, which has seen growth for hybrid and plug-in hybrid vehicles, and comes despite the removal of a fringe benefits tax exemption for hybrid cars in April.

The Automotive Insights Report showed motorists purchased more used vehicles during October than the month before, with sales up 2.8 per cent to more than 206,000 cars.

Like the new car market, SUVs were the most popular style of vehicles sold during the month, making up 43 per cent of sales, but passenger vehicles remained competitive, representing 35 per cent of the market.

Hybrid cars posted the biggest sales gains during October, however, with plug-in hybrids up 50.6 per cent compared to September and hybrids up by 37.3 per cent.

By comparison, petrol vehicle sales fell by 0.3 per cent, even though they represented the largest segment of the market, and diesel vehicles increased by just 2.4 per cent.

The data proved Australian motorists were increasingly choosing fuel-efficient vehicles, association chief executive James Voortman said, that could lower their running costs and emissions.

“Australians are purchasing vehicles that best suit their needs, whether that’s a hybrid for daily efficiency, a diesel for towing or an electric vehicle. But there’s a definite trend toward more sustainable choices,” he said.

“Hybrid vehicles are offering that middle ground with a proven technology that suits everyday driving and reflects growing environmental awareness.”

Second-hand electric vehicles also rose in popularity during October, the report found, with sales up by 7.9 per cent.

Figures also showed the battery-powered vehicles were retaining more of their value on the used market (80.8 per cent), and Tesla claimed the top two best-selling EVs with its Model 3 and Model Y, followed by BYD’s Atto 3.

Two utes claimed the title of best-selling second-hand vehicles overall – the Ford Ranger and Toyota HiLux respectively – although several passenger vehicles ranked in the top 10, including the Toyota Corolla and Hyundai i30.