Key Points
- Regional buyers made up 32% of used EV purchases nationally in FY26, up from 27% in FY25, according to Pickles Auctions data.
- Queensland recorded the sharpest rise of any state, with regional buyers' share of used EV purchases jumping from 17% to 48% year on year.
- The regional shift comes as EVs hit a record 35.8% share of new car sales nationally in June 2026, according to the Electric Vehicle Council.
Regional Australia bought more used electric vehicles in FY26 than it did the year before, according to new buyer data from Pickles Auctions. The figures cover used EV purchases by postcode across the 2025-26 financial year and show regional buyers taking a larger share of the market in every mainland state except Western Australia and South Australia.
Pickles Auctions General Manager of Automotive Solutions Brendon Green shared the data in a LinkedIn post, alongside separate figures showing regional car dealers are also buying more EVs to resell. The uplift comes as national EV sales hit record levels through FY26, driven by falling prices, more model choice and rising fuel costs.
Regional Buyers Lift Their Share of Used EV Purchases
Nationally, regional postcodes accounted for 32% of used EV purchases in FY26, up from 27% in FY25. Victoria rose from 16% to 22%, and New South Wales rose from 29% to 35%. Queensland recorded the largest jump of any state, with regional buyers' share climbing from 17% to 48%.
Green described the Queensland increase as a standout result, pointing to growing demand for used EVs beyond Brisbane.
Western Australia, South Australia and Tasmania have much smaller used EV transaction volumes than the eastern seaboard states. Pickles flagged that this makes their year-on-year percentage swings look more dramatic than they are, since a small change in raw sales numbers produces a large percentage shift in a small market.
It should be noted this data reflects Pickles Auctions sales alone, not the whole used EV market, it therefore does not capture every regional sale in Australia. It is however still a useful indicator, pointing to a broader trend of regional buyers gaining confidence in EVs.
Regional Dealers Are Buying In Too
It isn't only private buyers driving the shift. Green said regional dealers increased their own used EV purchases from 17% in FY25 to 26% in FY26, which he called a clear sign of growing dealer confidence in the regional used EV market.
Why Regional Buyers Are Coming Around
Green pointed to three factors behind the shift: greater confidence in public charging infrastructure, improved battery range across newer EV models, and more drivers becoming comfortable that their daily driving needs can be met without compromise. These are his own observations based on Pickles' buyer data rather than confirmed industry-wide research.
He said Tasmania also grew over the period, while Western Australia and South Australia softened, though he cautioned against reading too much into the size of those moves given the smaller volumes involved.
The National Picture: EV Sales Hit Record Levels in FY26
The regional shift has played out against a record year for EV sales nationally. EVs reached 35.8% of new passenger car sales in June 2026, with almost 49,000 sold during the month, according to the Electric Vehicle Council. Battery electric vehicles alone accounted for roughly one in every four new cars sold in the month. A year earlier, EVs held only around 11% of new vehicle sales in June 2025.
The Tesla Model Y was Australia's best-selling car outright for a second consecutive month in June, with 8,072 deliveries. BYD sold 18,881 vehicles in the month, just 243 short of Toyota, and its first-half 2026 total reached 52,335 vehicles, up 124% on the same period in 2025.
What Could Push Regional Adoption Further
Green said the next major catalyst for regional EV adoption would be a broader range of electric utes and commercial vehicles offering higher towing capacity, greater gross vehicle mass and long-range performance suited to rural use. Until those vehicles reach the market in volume, he said both private buyers and dealers in regional Australia are becoming more active participants in the used EV market.
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.
