The BYD Sealion 7 has overtaken the Tesla Model Y as Australia’s most searched-for electric vehicle as interest in EVs surges amid rising petrol and diesel prices.
New analysis of Google searches by UK comparison website MoneySuperMarket found the Sealion 7 generated 874,500 Australian searches between April 2025 and April 2026, comfortably ahead of the Tesla Model Y on 717,100.
The Australian result contrasts with the global rankings, where Tesla remains the dominant EV brand for search interest.
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The local results also underline the rapid rise of Chinese EV giant BYD in Australia, with five of its models occupying the top 10.
The BYD Seal ranked third with 450,300 searches, followed by the Atto 3 in fourth with 393,000 and the Sealion 6 in fifth with 357,000.
The BYD Dolphin was ninth with 299,200 searches.
Tesla had two models in the top 10. As well as the Model Y finishing second, the Model 3 ranked eighth with 300,500 searches.
The research comes as Australian EV sales accelerate sharply in 2026.
MoneySuperMarket also claims Australian Google searches for the term “electric vehicles” have risen 70 per cent over the past year.
However, search volumes should not be interpreted directly as purchase intentions or sales forecasts. Searches can be driven by new-model launches, publicity, pricing announcements and general curiosity as well as genuine shopping activity.
That caveat is particularly relevant to the Subaru Trailseeker (or e-Outback in Europe) which placed sixth in the Australian rankings with 337,200 searches despite being a relatively new entrant compared with established EV nameplates.
Kia also performed strongly, with the EV5 seventh on 302,200 searches and the smaller EV3 rounding out the top 10 with 244,500.
Australia’s 10 most searched-for EVs
- BYD Sealion 7 – 874,500
- Tesla Model Y – 717,100
- BYD Seal – 450,300
- BYD Atto 3 – 393,000
- BYD Sealion 6 – 357,000
- Subaru Trailseeker (e-Outback) – 337,200
- Kia EV5 – 302,200
- Tesla Model 3 – 300,500
- BYD Dolphin – 299,200
- Kia EV3 – 244,500
Combined, those 10 models generated more than 4.27 million Australian searches over the 12-month period.
The Australian rankings differ significantly from the global picture, where Tesla remains dominant.
Tesla models topped the rankings in 75 of the approximately 200 countries analysed, compared with 50 for BYD.
MoneySuperMarket analysed Google search volumes for more than 200 EV models across more than 200 countries, using Google Keyword Planner data collected in May 2026.
Globally, the Tesla Model Y was comfortably the most searched-for EV, attracting 25.18 million searches between April 2025 and April 2026.
The Tesla Model 3 was second with 16.84 million searches, followed by the BYD Seal on 15.32 million, Tesla Cybertruck on 12.12 million and BYD Dolphin on 10.86 million. The BYD Sealion 7, ranked 10th globally with 9.27 million searches.
MoneySuperMarket also reported worldwide Google searches for “electric vehicles” had increased 168 per cent year-on-year.
While the data provides another indication of growing EV awareness, the Australian rankings are arguably most significant for the strength of BYD.
It now sits second on the sales charts in 2026 and in July nearly toppled Toyota from the top of the monthly sales pile.
