Key Points
- Regional buyers accounted for 32 per cent of used EV purchases through Pickles in FY26, up from 27 per cent in FY25.
- Pickles sold more than 440 used EVs in the September quarter, its biggest quarter on record, and more than 200 in September alone.
- New EV sales nationally rose 117.7 per cent year-on-year in September 2026 to 26,287, a 24.2 per cent share of the market.
Regional Australians are buying a growing share of used electric vehicles, according to new data from auction house Pickles. Regional buyers took 32 per cent of Pickles' used EV sales in the 2025-26 financial year, up from 27 per cent a year earlier.
The figures were released on 8 October 2026 in Issue 11 of the Pickles Quarterly Automotive Report (QAR11). They come as Pickles posts its strongest used EV volumes to date and as new EV sales across Australia continue to climb.
Regional share of used EV sales climbs to 32 per cent
Pickles said the increase was not just a change in the mix of buyers. The number of used EVs bought by regional buyers rose from about 120 in FY25 to about 280 in FY26. That is growth of 130 per cent.
Bidding from regional buyers rose 124 per cent over the same period. Regional dealers moved even faster, buying 26 per cent of Pickles' used EVs in FY26 compared with 17 per cent in FY25.
Measure | FY25 | FY26 |
Regional buyer share of Pickles used EV purchases | 27% | 32% |
Regional dealer share of Pickles used EV purchases | 17% | 26% |
Used EVs bought by regional buyers | About 120 | About 280 |
Growth in regional bidding | - | +124% |
Brendon Green, General Manager of Automotive Solutions at Pickles, said the dealer numbers were the most telling.
"Regional private buyers buying used EVs is one thing, but dealers increasing their participation tells us they're becoming more confident they can put these vehicles on their yards and find a local buyer," Mr Green said.
"That gives us a much stronger indication that the secondary EV market is developing beyond the major cities."
The east coast led the shift, with regional participation up in Victoria, New South Wales and Queensland. Queensland recorded the biggest change. Almost half of Pickles' used EV sales in that state went to regional buyers in FY26, compared with less than one-fifth the year before.
Pickles noted that smaller volumes in Western Australia, South Australia and Tasmania make year-on-year movements in those states look larger.
Pickles posts its biggest used EV quarter on record
Pickles sold more than 1,580 used EVs in the 12 months to September 2026. That is more than double the roughly 740 it sold in the previous 12 months.
More than 440 of those sales came in the September quarter, the company's largest used EV quarter on record. September was its biggest single month, with more than 200 used EVs sold. The previous monthly high was set in March 2026, when the fuel-price spike pushed used EV clearance rates to 100 per cent.
The cars coming through are getting older and travelling further. Pickles said the average used EV it sold was about 3.1 years old with around 44,000 kilometres on the odometer. That distance is about 50 per cent higher than two years ago.
Used EV values settle after the fuel-price spike
Used EV prices have eased from their autumn peak. The Datium Insights Used EV Index, which Pickles uses to track values, rose from 104 per cent in February to 122 per cent in May as fuel prices surged. By September it had returned to 107 per cent.
The broader Datium Insights Used Car Index fell from 128 per cent earlier in the year to a low of 113 per cent in August, then edged up to 114 per cent in September. Petrol and diesel values closed September at 103 per cent and 106 per cent respectively. Hybrids held up best, falling only 7 per cent from February.
Chris Shaw, General Manager of Motor Vehicles at Pickles, said the market was starting to reset after a volatile first half.
"The first half of the year was heavily influenced by fuel prices and broader uncertainty, which changed buying behaviour very quickly. What we're seeing now is a market starting to settle, with buyers becoming more active again as we move into the traditional spring period," Mr Shaw said.
For used EV buyers, the easing index suggests the sharp price premium seen in May has largely unwound. Pickles has not published average sale prices by model.
Battery health holds up as cars age
Battery condition is one of the biggest questions for used EV buyers. Pickles data contributed to the Electric Vehicle Council's 2026 State of EVs report gives some answers.
Across more than 2,500 battery electric vehicles tested by Pickles, the average battery state of health was:
- 96 per cent across all vehicles tested
- 93 per cent for vehicles more than five years old
- 89 per cent for vehicles that had travelled more than 120,000 kilometres
Separate NRMA research found 82 per cent of consumers want a way to test battery health when buying a used EV.
Tesla and Hyundai lead regional used EV picks
The Tesla Model 3 was the most purchased used EV among regional buyers in FY26, followed by the Tesla Model Y and the Hyundai Kona Electric. The same three models led metropolitan purchases, in a different order.
Pickles said a substantial share of regional buyers chose longer-range variants, although they were not the majority.
The company said it is seeing growing confidence around charging access and driving range, two factors that have historically held back regional EV uptake. The Federal Government and NRMA are also building a national network of up to 77 charging stations on key highway routes, targeting blackspots and prioritising regional and remote communities. Our guide to public charging networks covers the main providers operating in Australia.
Mr Green said wider demand was good news for resale values.
"For residual values, the depth of the buyer pool matters. If more dealers and end-user buyers are prepared to compete for used EVs, regardless of postcode, that is a positive development for the secondary market," he said.
Ex-novated EVs set to add used supply
QAR11 also points to a new source of used EVs: cars coming off novated leases. Pickles' ex-novated volumes in Q2 2026 were 118 per cent higher than Q1. Q3 volumes were 157 per cent higher than Q1.
The timing lines up with the electric car discount. The FBT exemption for eligible battery EVs started on 1 July 2022, so the first wave of EVs bought through novated arrangements is now reaching typical replacement age. Eligible battery EVs remain covered. The exemption for new plug-in hybrid arrangements ended on 1 April 2025.
Pickles said ex-novated cars are often three to five years old and have had one owner, with strong representation from late-model SUVs, EVs and well-optioned light commercial vehicles.
"The volumes coming through now are really just the beginning," Mr Shaw said. "As more novated vehicles mature, particularly EVs acquired following the introduction of the FBT exemption, having an effective remarketing strategy will become increasingly important."
If you are weighing up a new EV yourself, an EV novated lease lets you combine the FBT exemption with salary packaging.
New EV sales keep climbing nationally
The used market is growing on the back of strong new EV sales. Combined VFACTS and Electric Vehicle Council figures show 26,287 battery electric vehicles were delivered in September 2026, up 117.7 per cent year-on-year.
BEV Sales in Australia
That gave EVs a 24.2 per cent share of the new vehicle market, just short of August's record of 24.8 per cent. It was the second month in a row that EVs outsold petrol-only vehicles, although by just 269 units. Total new vehicle sales rose 1.8 per cent to 108,778.
Fuel type | Sept 2026 sales | Sept share | 2026 YTD sales | YTD share |
Electric (BEV) | 26,287 | 24.2% | 180,591 | 18.9% |
Petrol | 26,018 | 23.9% | 269,691 | 28.2% |
Diesel | 25,173 | 23.1% | 232,714 | 24.3% |
Hybrid | 17,843 | 16.4% | 160,053 | 16.7% |
Plug-in hybrid | 10,072 | 9.3% | 85,278 | 8.9% |
Source: FCAI VFACTS and Electric Vehicle Council, excluding heavy commercial vehicles.
Year to date, battery EVs hold 18.9 per cent of the market, compared with 8.1 per cent at the same point in 2025. The Tesla Model Y was again the best-selling EV in September with 4,476 deliveries. You can track every month on our EV sales data page.
Pickles expects EV activity to stay strong as the national EV fleet grows, adding to the pipeline of cars that will eventually reach the secondary market.
Battery value may support older EV salvage prices
QAR11 also looked at how ageing EVs perform as salvage. Pickles analysed salvage vehicles sold since January 2025 that were seven to 12 years old and had pre-accident values of up to $40,000.
Statutory write-off EVs achieved sale results 16 per cent higher than comparable petrol and diesel vehicles. Repairable write-off EVs achieved 71 per cent more.
Pickles estimates the battery in an ageing EV can be worth about $6,000 to $10,000 or more, depending on the vehicle, before other parts are counted. The company cautioned that the trend is still emerging and the dataset for older EVs is much smaller than for combustion vehicles.
Broader used market and outlook
Across the wider used market, passenger vehicle values rose 3 per cent in the September quarter to 127 per cent. SUVs closed September at 110 per cent, about 9 points below September 2025. Pickles' overall used vehicle sales rose 11 per cent on Q2 but remained slightly below the same period last year.
In heavy transport, Pickles' gross truck sales grew 20 per cent over two years, from $251 million in FY24 to $301 million in FY26.
Pickles expects improved demand to continue through October and November, provided economic conditions stay relatively stable, before the usual Christmas slowdown. The full report is available on the Pickles website.
About the author
Danny is a consultant and entrepreneur working at the cutting edge of the electric vehicle and energy transition. He is passionate about educating and helping consumers make better decisions through data.
