Petrol prices are rocky and there’s still anxiety about fuel availability, so you may be thinking to yourself, is now the time to switch to an EV?
WORDS: SASHA OELSNER
As petrol prices spiked, so did Australian searches for electric vehicles. In fact, searches for the term tripled since February 2026, according to Google Trends data.
The spike in Google searches for electric vehicles in recent months isn’t just curiosity. In June alone, more than one in three cars sold in Australia were either battery electric or plug-in hybrids, according to the Electric Vehicle Council.
So, are you thinking about an EV? Here’s what you should consider before making the switch.
What do the acronyms mean?
There are a lot of abbreviations and strange terminology used in the EV world, and knowing what’s what will help you make the most informed choice.
• HEV stands for hybrid electric vehicle and refers to cars which typically combine a petrol engine with a very small battery and electric drive motor. Running largely on petrol, the electric-only range is typically less than one kilometre.
• PHEV stands for plug-in hybrid electric vehicle. A PHEV has a bigger battery than a HEV, that can be charged with mains electricity enabling an electric-only travel distance of 50km to 100km.
• BEV stands for battery electric vehicle. This is a car that has a very large, specialised battery and it’s 100 percent driven by an electric motor. These vehicles can typically drive 300km to 600km before needing to recharge.
How do costs compare?
Buying new: Entry-level models begin at about $25,000 (including on-road costs) which is comparable to the most affordable internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles. New mid-sized SUVs and models offering longer battery range can cost anywhere from $60,000 to $65,000.
Buying second-hand: Early model second-hand EV models can now be found from $20,000 to $30,000, with most sitting in the $35,000 to $50,000 range.
Running and charging costs: Home charging your BEV or PHEV on a standard tariff typically costs between $4 and $8 per 100km (compared to roughly $12 to $18 for petrol at current fuel prices), depending on your electricity rates, driving habits and EV efficiency. If you have solar at home, day-time charging can approach zero additional cost.
Maintenance costs
According to the Electric Vehicle Council, EV owners are estimated to save between $300 and $400 every year in maintenance costs.
What do I need to know about charging?
On the road, it could take from 15 to 45 minutes to charge from 10 percent to 80 percent at a public DC fast charger.
How far can I drive before the battery runs out?
Today’s BEVs can travel between 300km and 600km per charge, with some even exceeding 700km. This means a single charge can take you the 422km from Darwin to Mataranka or provide up to a week or two of suburban driving.
