After two months as Australia's most popular powertrain, battery-electric vehicles (BEVs) slipped back to second place in October 2026. Diesel retook the lead with 25,649 sales against 24,845 BEVs, even though diesel sales were 14.7% lower than a year earlier. The BEV share was 23.1%, up from 7.3% in October 2025, according to the Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries (FCAI).
Most of the dip came from Tesla. It delivered 4,050 cars, 28.4% fewer than in September, and dropped out of the brand top ten. The Model Y was still the country's fourth-best-selling vehicle and its best-selling EV.
The powertrain split
| Powertrain | October 2026 | Share | Share, Jan–Oct 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Diesel | 25,649 | 23.9% | 24.3% |
| Battery electric | 24,845 | 23.1% | 19.3% |
| Petrol | 23,605 | 22.0% | 27.5% |
| Hybrid | 18,434 | 17.1% | 16.8% |
| Plug-in hybrid | 11,745 | 10.9% | 9.1% |
The whole market came to 107,493 vehicles, up 6.8% and the best October on record. That total, compiled by carexpert.com.au, adds Tesla and Polestar, which report to the Electric Vehicle Council (EVC) instead of the FCAI's VFACTS system, to VFACTS's 103,325. Heavy commercial vehicles (3,215) are not in the table. BEV sales were 237.5% higher than a year earlier but 5.5% below September's 26,287, Torquecafe reports. Petrol sales fell 35.9% year on year.
The Model Y was fourth
| Rank | Model | October 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Toyota Hilux | 5,954 |
| 2 | Ford Ranger | 4,841 |
| 3 | Toyota RAV4 | 4,718 |
| 4 | Tesla Model Y | 3,105 |
| 5 | BYD Sealion 7 | 2,524 |
| 6 | Toyota Prado | 2,397 |
The Model Y figure covers the whole series, including 1,010 six-seat Model Y L. It was the family's lowest month since April and 30.6% below September, EV Central reports. It still beat the BYD Sealion 7 by 581, although BYD's SUV grew 88.2% in a year. In August the Model Y was Australia's best-selling vehicle outright. In October the Hilux, a mostly diesel ute, took first place for the first time this year.
The Model 3 added 945, against 181 a year earlier, which made it the best-selling medium car under A$60,000, just ahead of the Toyota Camry (930). On 1 October Tesla added an entry-level Model 3 at A$45,990.
Tesla outside the top ten
Tesla's 4,050 deliveries were 342% more than the 916 of October 2025, the EVC reports, but fewer than tenth-placed Chery's 4,317. Toyota led with 20,649. BYD was second with 10,025, up 153.2%, its second month ever above 10,000. Tesla's sales have now fallen for two months running, from 7,685 in August and 5,654 in September.
362 cars from a record
Tesla has delivered 45,755 cars in Australia so far in 2026, 94.1% more than in the first ten months of 2025. Its best full year is 2023, with 46,116, so it needs 362 more deliveries to set a record, with November and December still to come. The Model Y series accounts for 39,035 of this year's cars, 85.3% of the total, and the Model 3 for 6,720.
The rebound follows two years of decline: 38,347 deliveries in 2024 and 28,856 in 2025.
What it means for Europe
Australia charges no tariff on Chinese-built cars. Vehicles from China rose 104.2% to 41,671 in October, counting Tesla and Polestar, while imports from Japan, Thailand and South Korea fell. BYD sold almost two and a half times as many cars as Tesla.
In Europe, where Chinese-built EVs pay extra EU duties, BYD is gaining too: in October it moved back ahead of Tesla in Germany for the year. Nothing in the Australian figures changes what a Tesla costs in Europe. The EVC's November report, due in early December, will show whether Tesla beats its 2023 record.