June 2023 tops for new vehicle sales, including EVs

About 23,560 June 2023 vehicle registrations mean it’s the biggest new vehicle sales month on record.

That includes 2643 battery electric vehicles (BEVs), 1318 plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) and 4279 hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs).

So says Motor Industry Association (MIA) chief executive Aimee Wiley, adding that the month just gone was 95.5% higher than June 2022 and 2556 units higher than the previous biggest month, March 2022 (21,004 registrations). 

Clean Car policy change impacted both those record months, says MIA, backing up an earlier story in EVs and Beyond.

In March 2022, people rushed to register vehicles to avoid the introduction of Clean Car Discount (CCD) fees and this is repeated in June 2023 to avoid increased fees or reduced rebates from July 1 onwards, Wiley explains.  

There were 2599 light passenger vehicle BEVs (up 91% on average monthly year-to-date) and 23 light commercial plus 21 heavy commercial vehicle BEVs registered in June.

Top BEV models were the Tesla Model Y (765 units), BYD Atto 3 (440 units) followed by the MG ZS (260 units), BEVs comprising 15% of the light passenger segment in June.

June PHEV registrations were up 148% on average monthly year-to-date figures.

Top PHEV models were the Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross (498 units), the Mitsubishi Outlander (257 units) and the Kia Niro (135 units), with PHEVs making up 7.6% of the light passenger segment in June.

HEV June registrations were up 111% on average monthly year-to-date figures.

Top HEVs were the Toyota RAV4 (983 units), followed by the Toyota C-HR (261 units) and the Kia Niro (246 units), with hybrid vehicles comprising 24.7% of the light passenger segment in June.

Of the 23,560 June registrations, passenger vehicles accounted for 17,299 and commercial vehicles 6261 (the second biggest month).

Although a standout month for the commercial segment, June 2023 falls well short (3561 units) of the prior record month of March 2022 (9822 units), says MIA, adding that on a year-to-date basis in spite of the June 2023 result commercial vehicles remain down 6.5% (1674 units) due the impact of Clean Car Discount fees on light commercial vehicles.

MIA says a trend to smaller vehicle size continues with 60% of vehicles registered for the month being medium or smaller.

The SUV medium segment had 26% market share and the SUV compact segment 23% share, followed by the pickup/chassis 4×4 segment with 15% market share.

The top three commercial vehicles for the month were the Toyota Hilux (1703 units), Mitsubishi Triton (1011 units), and Ford Ranger (975 units).

Toyota retained the overall market lead in June with 22.7% market share (5343 units), followed by Mitsubishi with 12.3% (2903 units) and Kia with 8.2% market share (1927 units).