Australians have raced to secure electric vehicles during the Middle East war-driven fuel crisis, near-doubling sales to set a national record.
Motorists bought more than 15,800 new electric cars during March, according to figures released by the Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries on Tuesday, while sales of petrol and diesel vehicles stalled.
The change could become a long-term trend as consumers' reasons for buying low-emission cars switch from environmental concerns to worries about their personal finances, automotive experts say.
Electric vehicle sales could also climb higher in coming months if fuel shortages intensify.
Figures from the group showed electric cars made up 14.6 per cent of all new car sales during the month, up from 7.5 per cent in March 2025.
The tally was the highest number of electric vehicles sold in Australia in a month.
EV sales surged despite a modest drop in new car sales, chamber chief executive Tony Weber said, but he stopped short of calling it a permanent trend.
"It is too early to determine if this represents a structural shift in the market," he said.
"More consumers are considering EVs due to the disruptions of fuel supply caused by the conflict in the Middle East, along with the review into the fringe benefits tax concessions for EVs."
Rising fuel prices and shortages had served as a catalyst for buyers on the fence about electric cars, Australian Automotive Dealer Association chief executive James Voortman said, and for those "weighing up the long-term running costs of their next vehicle".
The trend had the potential to stick around as more drivers discovered electric vehicles were cheaper to run and easier to refuel, Swinburne University future urban mobility professor Hussein Dia said.
"People are genuinely making a behavioural change," he told AAP.
"In the past, a lot of people were choosing electric vehicles as a personal choice, for environment and emissions, but now it's becoming a cost issue."
Electric vehicles have doubled in popularity during 2026, rising by 115 per cent according to the chamber.
Sales of other low-emission cars also accelerated during March, with hybrid vehicle sales up 6.7 per cent to almost 18,000 vehicles, while plug-in hybrid sales rose 18.5 per cent compared to the same month in 2025.
By comparison, petrol vehicle sales slowed by 20.8 per cent during March and diesel vehicles fell by 10.1 per cent.
The electric vehicle sales record comes as the federal government reviews the Electric Car Discount and as it considers the introduction of a road-user charge to replace revenue that would have been collected by fuel excise.
Despite the emerging sales trend, the Ford Ranger ute again claimed the title of Australia's best-selling vehicle for March, followed by the Toyota HiLux ute.
Toyota remained the top automotive brand in the nation, followed by Mazda, Kia, Ford and Hyundai.
