Which postcodes are switching on to electric cars, and why?

A surprise inner western suburb of Sydney is proving the leader in the path to electrifying transport, with uptake more than double that of its next closest locality: the home of government, central Canberra. 

Haberfield, just west of Leichhardt, is known for its leafy green streets and high number of heritage-listed buildings. 

Now, it is also known for something just as green but decidedly less historical – electric cars (unless you count EVs from the turn of the 20th century, that is.) 

New metro, regional and large rural town data from the Australian Automobile Association (AAA) shows that just two years ago there were just 11 battery electric vehicles (BEVs) in the inner-west suburb. Now, as of the start of 2023 there were 336, meaning the percentage of cars owned in Haberfield that are all-electric is 6.8 per cent. 

The reason? It is the headquarters of Uber partner Splend, which rents out rideshare vehicles to drivers and in 2021 made the commitment to convert half of its 1500-strong fleet to EVs by the end of 2022. 

While this target was missed likely due to industry-wide delivery delays, Splend most recently said it has secured $150 million in funding to purchase 10,000 EVs by 2024.

Taking Splend out of the equation confirms that ACT postcode 2601, which takes in Acton, central Canberra and Black Mountain, retains the capital’s leadership role in the electrification of transport. 

Eight out of ten suburbs with the highest uptake of EVs are in NSW, with affluent areas such as Rose Bay, Watsons Bay, Bellevue Hill, Woollahra, Edgecliff and Northbridge also in the top ten. 

Postcode 2113, which takes in Macquarie Park, a growing commercial centre that has a population with 30 per cent Chinese ancestry according to the City of Ryde, also has a high uptake of EVs compared to the rest of the country. 

The only Victorian postcode in metro, regional and large rural towns to make the top ten was Flinders, where almost 2 per cent of cars are now EVs. 

Side note: technically the postcode with the highest penetration is Gormanston near Strahan in western Tasmania which has an EV penetration of 8.3 per cent at the end of 2022 – but there were only 36 cars in total registered there!

Postcode	Locality Names	State	Total BEV Registrations 2021	Total BEV Registrations 2023	Total Vehicle Registrations 2023	EV Market Share
2045	Haberfield	NSW	11	336	4,944	6.80%
2601	Acton, Black Mountain, Canberra, City	ACT	26	72	2,590	2.78%
2030	Diamond Bay, Dover Heights, Hmas Watson, Rose Bay North, Vaucluse, Watsons Bay	NSW	112	253	9,457	2.68%
2023	Bellevue Hill	NSW	57	146	6,103	2.39%
2113	Blenheim Road, East Ryde, Macquarie Centre, Macquarie Park, Macquarie University, North Ryde	NSW	54	420	20,521	2.05%
2025	Woollahra	NSW	38	81	4,036	2.01%
2110	Hunters Hill, Hunters Hill West, Woolwich	NSW	36	127	6,386	1.99%
3929	Flinders	VIC	4	24	1,221	1.97%
2027	Darling Point, Edgecliff, Hmas Rushcutters, Point Piper	NSW	33	92	4,786	1.92%
2063	Northbridge	NSW	29	77	4,047	1.90%

Which Australian suburbs made the biggest leaps towards pure electrified transport? Up to the start of 2023, AAA data says the outer suburbs of Sydney and Melbourne were also on the move. 

Postcode 2155, which takes in Beaumont Hills, Kellyville, Rouse Hill and surrounds saw the biggest jump in new EVs – 372 in total, bringing registrations to 418 - from the start of 2021 to the start of 2023. 

In the north-west, Postcode 2113 (Macquarie, Park, North and East Ryde and surrounds) also saw a jump of 366 new BEVs.  

In Victoria, postcode 3030 which takes in Werribee, Quandong, Point Cook and surrounds west of Melbourne, also saw an increase for the period, of 362 BEVs. 

The highest jump of BEVs in Queensland was in postcode 4217, which takes in Gold Coast localities of Bundall, Benowa, Chevron Island, Main Beach, Surfers Paradise and surrounds. 

The increases in EVs are encouraging – and it is important to note that things are changing quickly. In all of 2023, 87,217 BEVs were sold in Australia – almost three times the 33,410 BEVs sold in 2022, where the latest AAA data stops. 

Postcode	Suburbs	State	Total BEV Registrations 2023	BEV Change since 2021	Total BEV Registrations 2023	Total Vehicle Registrations 2023	EV Market Share
2155	Beaumont Hills, Kellyville, Kellyville Ridge, North Kellyville, Rouse Hill	NSW	46	372	418	47,437	0.88%
2113	Blenheim Road, East Ryde, Macquarie Centre, Macquarie Park, North Ryde	NSW	54	366	420	20,521	2.05%
3030	Chartwell, Cocoroc, Point Cook, Quandong, Werribee, Werribee South	VIC	65	362	427	81,022	0.53%
2045	Haberfield	NSW	11	325	336	4,944	6.80%
3029	Hoppers Crossing, Tarneit, Truganina	VIC	37	307	344	89,444	0.38%
2020	Mascot, Sydney Domestic Airport, Sydney International Airport	NSW	13	296	309	29,727	1.04%
4217	Benowa, Bundall, Bundall Bc, Bundall Dc, Chevron Island, Gold Coast Mc, Isle Of Capri, Main Beach, Paradise Waters, Surfers Paradise	QLD	81	288	369	36,435	1.01%
2153	Baulkham Hills, Bella Vista, Crestwood, Norwest, Winston Hills	NSW	49	286	335	43,321	0.77%
3150	Brandon Park, Glen Waverley, Wheelers Hill	VIC	74	268	342	43,141	0.79%
4069	Brookfield, Chapel Hill, Fig Tree Pocket, Kenmore, Kenmore East, Kenmore Hills, Pinjarra Hills, Pullenvale	QLD	85	265	350	26,538	1.32%