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RedBridge polling reveals ending EV Discount will hit outer suburban, blue collar, financially stretched workers most

NALSPA

National polling of thousands of Australians shows the Electric Car Discount is a cost-of-living measure relied on by outer-suburban, blue-collar and financially stretched Australians.

The research conducted by RedBridge Group in March-April 2026, drawing on responses from 2,269 novated leaseholders in the largest survey of its kind in Australia, finds the EV Discount is a decisive factor in whether many households can afford to make the switch to electric.

Among the findings:

  • A majority of financially stretched families, blue-collar workers, outer suburban residents, and households that speak a language other than English, said the EV Discount was ‘very important’ in their decision to buy an EV, exceeding the national average (84%) and others in their respective cohorts:

    A great deal of financial stress - 93%

    		 No stress at all - 79%
    Other languages spoken at home - 90% English only - 83%
    Outer suburbs - 86% Inner metro - 82%
    Blue collar - 87% Clerical - 81%
 

  • Cost savings are the primary motivation for switching to EVs, with the Discount the decisive factor - ranked among the top three reasons to purchase by a majority of respondents (57%).

  • The FBT is a cost-of-living measure, with financially stretched leaseholders the most reliant group on the Discount by a wide margin: 93% said it was ‘very important’, 70% ranked it in their top three reasons to buy, and just 20% would have purchased an EV without it.  

  • Most Australians (60%) wouldn't have bought their EV without the Electric Car Discount, including 72% of people who are financially stretched, 66% of non-English speaking households, 65% of blue-collar workers, and 61% of those living in the outer suburbs.

  • Removing the Discount would push cost-sensitive households back to petrol and diesel, extending their fuel cost exposure rather than ending it. Nearly half (48%) would defer their next car purchase affecting the pipeline of second-hand EVs while 24% would revert to petrol or diesel - rising to 34% of blue-collar workers and 36% of financially stretched families.

  • Support for the Discount spans the political spectrum: Nine in 10 (91%) believe it is important that the federal government provides financial support to help Australians make the switch to an electric vehicle (Labor 94%, Coalition 90%, One Nation 79%, Greens 97%). Coalition and One Nation voters were also more likely to switch because of the EV Discount. 

The polling supports NALSPA data which shows the top 10 postcodes for EV Discount uptake include the outer suburbs of Tarneit, Werribee, and Craigieburn in Victoria; Marsden Park, Kellyville and Baulkham Hills in NSW, and Springfield in Queensland. 

“This data completely overturns the idea that the EV Discount is a tax break focused on wealthy, inner-city elites,” said National Automotive Leasing and Salary Packaging Association (NALSPA) CEO Rohan Martin, who commissioned the polling.

"The people relying on the EV Discount the most are outer-suburban families, blue-collar workers, culturally and linguistically diverse communities, and households under real financial pressure who want to reduce their weekly costs. 

"For many, the EV Discount is the difference between affording an EV and not. These findings show the Australians most drawn to the Discount are the same ones who would feel its removal hardest.

"Electric cars are not a luxury item, they’re being bought as a way to cut costs and get ahead, but for many, they can only do this if the upfront cost is affordable. Savings through the EV Discount and avoiding pain at the bowser are the main reasons Australians are buying EVs and these pressures are particularly important for blue-collar workers and those under financial pressure. 

“The Electric Car Discount is the policy that is making it a reality for everyday Australians to afford the upfront cost of cleaner, cheaper-to-run cars during a cost-of-living crisis. 

“Most Australians who bought an EV with the help of the Electric Car Discount wouldn’t have made the switch without it. And if the EV Discount ended, it’s the blue-collar workers and those under financial pressure who are more likely to switch back to a petrol or diesel car. 

"These findings reinforce the Electric Car Discount's pivotal role in sustaining EV uptake which is good for household budgets and Australia's energy security. Without it, most current EV lessees would either defer their next purchase, thwarting the second-hand market, or revert to petrol and diesel, a serious setback for the nation's transport decarbonisation goals.

“Support for the Electric Car Discount cuts across party lines. Regardless of how they vote, the majority of those surveyed say the Discount influenced their decision to buy an EV, that they wouldn't have purchased without it, and that the federal government should continue to help Australians make the switch.

"The Electric Car Discount is putting cleaner, cheaper-to-run cars within reach of ordinary Australians - ending it would be a mistake for households and national energy security.” 

RedBridge Group’s Director of Strategy and Analytics Kos Samaras is available for interview.

A summary of the findings is available here and a political briefing is available here. Full polling results are available upon request.


Contact details:

Sofie: 0403 920 301