Electric vehicles (EVs) hit record sales in Australia, amid significant inroads made by Chinese carmakers, according to latest industry figures.

Australians bought 29,244 new battery-electric vehicles in the June quarter, up from the 17,901 sales registered in the three months to March, the Australian Automobile Association peak motoring body said in a statement on Aug 14.

The EV sales rose by 63.37 percent to reach 9.31 percent of all new car sales in the quarter, according to the association.

READ MORE: Chinese car brands making inroads into Australian market

Internal combustion engine vehicles still dominated overall sales, with 226,306 units sold, or up 9.9 percent from the first quarter total of 205,911, but their market share slipped from 72.37 percent to 72.03 percent, it said.

The Electric Vehicle Council, which represents Australia’s EV sector, said in a statement that the record sales underscored “the importance of retaining incentives and policies to sustain uptake and drive emissions down”.

“Australian drivers are discovering what early adopters already knew: electric vehicles are better for the family budget. They're great to drive, better for the environment, and cheaper to run,” the council’s CEO Julie Delvecchio said.

"It’s encouraging to see EV sales climb, but we’re still in the early stages of the transition, and numbers remain well short of what’s needed for a self-sustaining market,” she said. Electric vehicles need to make up at least 30 percent of all new car sales in Australia before governments can responsibly consider withdrawing incentives or imposing taxes.

With transport set to become Australia’s largest emissions source by 2030, it’s essential to keep supporting and motivating Australians to choose electric vehicles, Delvecchio said.

More electric vehicles on our roads benefit almost everyone -- they cut emissions, improve air quality, create quieter streets, reduce Australia’s reliance on foreign oil and help build a stronger energy grid. These collective benefits make electric vehicles essential for a more sustainable, healthier, and resilient future, she said.

READ MORE: Chinese EVs make major inroads as Aussie market charges ahead

The record sales come while Chinese EV manufacturers gain momentum in supplying vehicles to the Australian market, being on track to become the dominant source of automotive imports by 2035, according to industry research findings from the Australian Automotive Dealer Association, which positions itself as the main industry advocacy body representing franchised new car and truck dealers in Australia.

Aman Gaur, the Electric Vehicle Council’s head of legal, policy and advocacy, told China Daily that Chinese EV automakers are “driving significant growth in Australia’s electric vehicle market by offering competitively priced models and a wide choice for consumers”.

“By offering affordable, high-quality, feature-rich EVs across a range of vehicle types … Chinese automakers are catering to a variety of lifestyles and drawing in Australian motorists from all walks of life,” he said.