In brief
In October 2026, New Zealand saw a 174.1 % jump in plug‑in hybrid and battery electric vehicle registrations, rising to 3,317 units, 22.7 % of all new light‑vehicle registrations. Diesel sales fell 27.8 %, while new overall registrations climbed 11.5 % to 23,289. Chinese brands now hold 22.7 % of the market share, overtaking Japan, South Korea, and the U.S. Brands. 60 % of battery EVs were registered by private owners amid persistent fuel price hikes.
New Zealand saw a record surge in electric vehicle registrations in October 2026, with plug‑in hybrid and battery electric vehicles up 174.1 % year‑on‑year to 3,317 units, according to the Motor Trade Association (MTA) as reported by Xinhua.
This milestone set electric vehicles at 22.7 % of all new light‑vehicle registrations, compared with 8.9 % in October 2025, the MTA said.
The surge coincided with a 27.8 % year‑on‑year drop in diesel vehicle registrations, while overall new light‑vehicle registrations increased 11.5 % to 23,289 in October, the second‑highest monthly figure of 2026.
Chinese brands captured 22.7 % of the total market, a gain from 11.5 % a year earlier and 5.4 % in January 2024, and now surpassed Japanese, South Korean and U.S. brands.
Nearly 60 % of battery electric vehicles registered in October were bought by private owners, Larry Fallowfield, MTA sector manager for dealers and specialist services, said, noting that some registrations were catching up with a sales spike in March after the Iran conflict began, leading to a temporary shortage of stock.
"Some of that is registrations catching up with sales in March when the Iran conflict started and there was a bit of panic and not enough stock to meet demand," said Fallowfield. L. Fallowfield, MTA sector manager
Fallowfield added that expectations of sustained high fuel prices were influencing buyer behaviour, further boosting electric vehicle demand amid the current inflationary environment.