Kia has secured a spot in the top four of Australia’s electric vehicle (EV) market in the first quarter, driven by strong sales of its China-made EV5. While Tesla’s sales have sharply declined, Kia’s rising EV5 performance and the early success of the EV3 are fueling expectations for further market share growth.
According to the Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries (FCAI) on the 15th, Kia sold a total of 1,653 EVs in Australia during Q1 (January–March). This marks a 2.7-fold surge compared to the same period last year (619 units).
The brand ranked fourth in EV sales. During the quarter, the EV5—Kia’s dedicated EV model—sold 1,164 units, nearly double last year’s figure (589 units), driving overall performance. It also became the fourth best-selling EV in Australia for Q1.
Hyundai recorded 513 EV sales, placing ninth. The Ioniq 5 was Hyundai’s top-selling EV model, with 253 units sold.
Tesla took first place, dominating competitors with 5,160 units sold. However, its sales plummeted 59.6% year-over-year. MG secured second place with 1,950 units, while BYD ranked third with 1,848 units.
Kia’s position in Australia’s EV market is expected to keep expanding. The automaker is aggressively targeting the local EV market, noting the rapid shift toward electrification. With Japanese brands like Toyota—a leader in Australia’s auto market—still focusing on internal combustion and hybrid vehicles, Kia aims to gain an edge in the EV segment.
The company is leveraging existing models like the EV6 and EV9 alongside the EV5 to capture local demand, while also anticipating strong sales growth for the newly launched EV3. The EV3 sold 186 units within just over a month of its release.
Kia is determined to surpass MG and BYD this year to become Australia’s No. 2 EV seller. Last year, Kia ranked sixth in the country’s EV market with 3,610 units sold, trailing Tesla (30,347 units), BYD (14,260 units), MG (8,239 units), BMW (7,787 units), and Volvo (3,862 units).
