Almost half the country wants a hybrid or EV next. Not maybe. Soon.
mycar’s 2026 Mobility Index confirms what sales charts already whisper: 46 per cent of vehicle owners are planning an electric or hybrid purchase. Up from 36 per cent last year. A sharp climb.
Lonergan Research crunched the numbers in April 2026, polling Aussies over 18.
The timing matters. The survey dropped right as fuel prices spiked and the government hit pause on fuel excise taxes. EV sales didn’t just grow, they rocketed up 111.6% that same period, grabbing 19.9% of the new car market. A record.
Gas prices have cooled since. The tax cut gets peeled back starting July 1, gone completely by August 2.
Does that stop people? Apparently not. But doubts linger.
- A third of us wonder if EVs can actually handle a long regional drive. Range anxiety isn’t dead, it’s just changing clothes.
- 23 per cent say the sticker price is too high, especially now with interest rates hiking up and money getting tight.
Those still clinging to petrol engines worry about three things: reliability (45%), running costs (44%), and performance (43%). Old habits. New tech.
For those who jumped ship, happiness reigns. 86% of EV and hybrid owners are satisfied. No regrets here.
Enter the new boys. Mostly Chinese. Deepal, Leapmotor, Xpeng arrived late in 2024. Omoda and Jaecoo came in 2025 along with Geely’s return after a decade abroad. More options mean better prices usually.
Trust is the new currency.
31 per cent of drivers remain skeptical. They question the safety and long-term reliability of these newcomers. Will the service network hold up in ten years? Nobody knows for sure yet.
We buy with our pockets, we drive with our heads. The rest is waiting to see if the brands stick around.
