China takes great leap forward in Australia’s car market with EVs leading the charge

Exclusive: Sales of Chinese-made vehicles increased 61% in 2022 with one industry expert saying companies are ‘innovating faster’

• Follow our Australia news live blog for the latest updates
• Get our morning and afternoon news emails, free app or daily news podcast

China is rapidly becoming one of the largest sources of new cars for Australian buyers with Chinese carmakers’ increasing dominance of electric vehicle sales in their home market potentially accelerating the transition off fossil-fuel powered transport.

In 2022, sales of Chinese-made vehicles in Australia totalled 122,845 units, a 61.1% increase on the previous year, according to Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries data. In December, imports from China were more than double a year earlier.

Sign up for Guardian Australia’s free morning and afternoon email newsletters for your daily news roundup