In the battle for ACT best-seller, it's hybrid against electric

The Chinese-built EVs from the US-based manufacturer accounted for just over 10 per cent of the territory's market in the first three months with the Model Y and Model 3 - the only two models available - the second and third best-sellers, respectively, behind the popular hybrid Toyota RAV4.

Toyota, which captured a 14.7 per cent share of ACT market, was the only car brand to outsell Tesla in the territory so far this year. Fast-emerging Chinese EV brand BYD is now bigger locally than BMW or Nissan, and is fast closing on the popularity of Canberra's evergreen favourite, Subaru.

Sales of electric cars accounted for 16.6 per cent of all new ACT car sales in the first three months, surpassing diesel vehicle sales.

That's not the case elsewhere in the country where the nation's top-seller from last year, the Ford Ranger 4WD, is outdriving the rest of the market in 2024, and diesels are outselling EVs by around four to one.

Tesla has dominated the national EV market so far this year. Of the 25,468 EVs sold in the first quarter of 2024 - up by 8072 on the same period last year - 50.2 per cent were Teslas.

Electric car sales across the rest of the country are now accelerating hard, with 10,464 sold in March alone. BYD was the biggest EV improver, its sales up 113.6 per cent on the first three months of 2023.

But so, too, are hybrid vehicle sales, regarded a good "each-way" bet for purchasers still troubled by the slow rollout of charging stations and long-term EV resale values.

There have been 35,203 hybrids sold nationally in the past three months.

And while the 2024 national new vehicle market is barreling upward at record pace, it's notable that sales of petrol combustion vehicles fell in the first quarter - albeit by just 2 per cent - compared with the same period last year.