EVs from BYD and MG make up the five of the most-researched vehicles in Australia as drivers look for alternatives to traditional combustion-engined cars, new figures show.

Data released by the RACV shows that buyers using its car search service have boosted BYD’s range of EVs to four of the five top spots, with MG coming in fifth.

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Small cars lead the charge with the BYD Atto 1 light hatch, Australia’s cheapest new electric vehicle, returning the highest number of search queries. Pricing for the Atto 1 range starts from $23,990 plus on-road costs.

The second-most searched vehicle was the BYD Atto 2 small SUV, priced from $31,990 plus on-road costs.

The only family-sized vehicle to break into the RACV’s list was the BYD Sealion 7 medium SUV, a five-seater with a more premium approach than the other vehicles in the top five, priced from $54,990 to $63,990 plus on-road costs.

BYD’s small car offering, the $29,990 Dolphin hatch, was the fourth-most popular search target.

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The fifth-placed MG 4 small hatch now comes in two models – the MG 4 and the cheaper MG 4 Urban – with pricing for the latter from $31,990 drive-away.

“Cost of living and a desire to find cheaper ways to stay on the road is top of mind for Australians, and we’re seeing how that is changing our local car market and consumer preferences,” said RACV head of policy James Williams.

Australia’s top-selling EV for the first half of 2026, the Tesla Model Y, didn’t feature among the RACV’s most-searched new vehicles.

The BYD Sealion 7 was Australia’s second-best-selling EV in that period. The Geely EX5, Jaecoo J5, and Zeekr 7X hold the third, fourth, and fifth positions respectively on Australia’s EV sales charts, but that didn’t translate to a spot on the RACV’s list.

Australia’s temporary fuel excise reductions came to an end on August 3, coinciding with an indexed rate increase of 17.1 cents per litre, with some retailers pushing prices up even further.