Quick Charge: EV Sales Hit Records, BYD Takes Second, Tax Break Changes and Geely Goes Big

A fast Plugged In Australia: Quick Charge version of episode 49, covering April’s record EV market share, BYD’s rise to second overall in Australia, the federal EV tax break changes, Kia EV3 and EV5 momentum, Volkswagen looking to China, Leapmotor’s B05 Australian tuning story, electric trucks for Sydney and Melbourne, and Geely’s growing Australian EV and PHEV push.

Time Stamps

00:00 Intro  
00:43 EV sales hit record share and BYD takes second overall  
02:11 Kia EV3 and EV5 build momentum  
03:15 EV tax break extended but wound back from 2027  
04:23 Volkswagen, Leapmotor and Geely show the global shift  
06:0 5 Electric trucks and heavy EV tech  
07:08 Outro  

Disclaimer:

All specifications, pricing, and information discussed in this episode were correct at the time of recording. The electric vehicle market moves quickly, so we recommend you always check the latest details directly with manufacturers, dealers, or official sources.

This podcast provides general news and information only, based on publicly available sources and Australian Consumer Law guidelines. It is not legal, financial, or professional advice. For advice specific to your situation, please contact the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) or seek independent professional guidance.

Plugged in Australia and its hosts are not responsible for any decisions, misunderstandings, or purchases made based on the content of this show.

Sourcing & Transparency

At Plugged in Australia, all our stories are sourced from publicly available news articles and reports. We do not receive any advance information or briefings from brands or manufacturers.

Any analysis or opinions we share are based solely on this public information.

Our main sources include (though we also use many others, and they vary by episode):

• https://www.carsales.com.au/
• https://www.carexpert.com.au/
• https://thedriven.io/
• https://www.carsguide.com.au
• https://autotalk.com.au
• https://www.carsguide.com.au
• https://evcentral.com.au
• https://www.drive.com.au

Transcript

SPEAKER_00 0:00

Welcome to Plugged in Australia Quick Charge, the shorter version of the show for when you want the main EV news without the full deep dive. This is episode 49 for Wednesday, 6th of May 2026, and the big story this time is Australia's EV market hitting another record. Battery electric vehicles were about one in six new vehicles sold in April. BYD jumped to second place overall behind Toyota, plug-in hybrids kept growing fast, and the federal EV tax break has been extended but will be wound back from 2027. We'll also cover Key's EV Momentum, Volkswagen looking to China, Leap Motors B05 tuning, electric trucks for Sydney and Melbourne, and Jilly's a big Australian expansion. Let's get into it. Battery electric vehicles reached a record share of the new car market at around 16.4 to 16.46%, depending on the data set. In plain English, that's roughly one in every six new vehicles sold. The combined FCAI and Electric Vehicle Council data points to 15,459 battery electric vehicles sold in April. That was more than double April of last year, when EVs were only around 6.6% of the market. Plug-in hybrids also had a massive month where more than 9,600 sold, up around 270% year on year. Meanwhile, petrol only and diesel sales both fell sharply. Petrol was down around 30% and diesel was down more than 20%. The biggest brand shock was BYD. Toyota still led the market with its 15,185 sales, but BYD moved into second place overall with 7,702 deliveries. That puts it ahead of Kia, Hyundai, Ford and Mazda. The BYD C-Line 7 was the top-selling EV for April with 1,780 sales. The GLE EX5 was also strong with 1,202, and Zika had a breakout month with a 7X, accounting for most of its 1,06 deliveries. Tesla is still important, but this market is no longer just Tesla. The EV field is now much broader, and that is good for buyers. Kia's EV3 and EV5 are showing why the new vehicle efficiency standard is already changing the market. Kia's sales mix is now heavily electrified, with reports putting the split around 70% electrified across EVs and hybrids. The EV3 and EV5 are central to that shift. The EV3 recorded 445 deliveries in April, leading the small SUV segment over $45,000, and the EV5 recorded 794 deliveries and was one of the strongest medium SUVs over 65,000. The important part is that these are mainstream SUV segments. These are not just Halo cars for early adopters. They are the kind of vehicles Australian families actually shop for. Kia has also built up a strong NVES credit position, and that matters because the new vehicle efficiency standard rewards lower emissions vehicles and penalises higher emission portfolios. Brands with real EV and hybrid volume have more flexibility. Brands without that mix are more exposed. The electric car discount is not being scrapped immediately, but it is being wound back. The full FBT exemption for eligible EVs continues until 31st of March 2027. From the 1st of April 27, the full exemption remains only for EVs costing $75,000 or less. EVs priced above $75,000 but below the fuel efficient luxury car tax threshold will instead get a 25% discount on payable FBT. Then from April 2029, all eligible EVs under the threshold moved to that 25% discount model. Existing leases are expected to be grandfathered, so timing matters if you are looking at an evaded lease. The government says the discount helped around 64,000 EVs in the first three years, helped expand model choice and contributed to lower EV prices, but it also became expensive, with the budget cost growing far beyond original expectations. The practical takeaway is simple. If you are buying or leasing through salary packaging, check the price cap, timing, and lease terms very carefully. Volkswagen is looking more openly at China developed EVs and platforms for future global markets. That could matter for Australia because Chinese built EVs can be more price competitive here, and Volkswagen needs sharper products if it wants to fight BYD, Gear Lee, Zika, and MG. Leak Motor is also making moves. The B-05 Electric Hatch is confirmed for Australia later this year, and the brand says the international version has been heavily retuned compared with the Chinese model. The rear suspension geometry has been changed, and Leapmotor says the European version feels totally different. That is important because Australian roads can quickly expose poor ride and handling calibration. The B-05 Ultra is the warmer version with rear-wheel drive, around 177 to 180 kW, 320 Nm, and a claim 0 to 100kmh time of 5.9 seconds. It is not confirmed for Australia yet, but it is being seriously considered. GLE is another brand to watch, its EX5 is already selling well. The EX2 Electric Hatch is on the way, and the brand is playing a much bigger Australian rollout through 2027. That includes more plug-in hybrid SUVs, a possible 7-seat family SUV, box style SUV models, and a plug-in hybrid sedan aimed at the Camry space. GLE is also pushing hard with Finance Offer. Its end of financial year campaign includes a 0.88% comparison rate on the EX5 extended range and the Stari EMI, and a complementary 7kW home charger for eligible EX5 extended range buyers, though installation is not included. A fleet of 30 battery electric trucks is set to deliver appliances across Sydney and Melbourne. Zenobi will provide the trucks and charging infrastructure to winnings as a service, supported by $3.65 million from Arena through the Driving the Nation Fund. This matters because Metro delivery is one of the best early uses for electric trucks. The routes are predictable, trucks return to base, you've got depot charging which can be planned, and electric drive trains reduce noise, fuel use and local air pollution. In the tech corner, BMW has filed a patent for a ladder frame EV chassis, which could point to future electric off-road thinking. But a patent does not mean a production car is guaranteed, but it shows how brands are exploring tougher EV platforms. Caterpillar has also shown a battery electric power unit that can drop into the same footprint as a diesel engine in certain machinery. That could make electrifying industrial equipment faster and simpler because manufacturers may not need to redesign every machine from scratch. And that is quick charge for episode 49, Wednesday, the 6th of May 2026. I think the big takeaway is that Australia's EV market is no longer moving slowly. EV share has hit a new record, plug-in hybrids are booming, BYD is now second overall for the month. I know it's only for the month, but whoever thought that would be possible. And brands like Kia, Geely, Zika, and Leap Motor are putting real pressure on the old order. But the next stage will be harder. Charging infrastructure has to keep up, tax incentives are changing, and new brands still need to prove long term support and reliability. And as always, for the full deep dive, listen to the main episode of Plugged in Australia, episode 49. So hope you enjoyed the quick charge for today. And until the next time, stay plugged in and stay charged. Chevi the ammo.