NRMA survey finds strong EV intent among millennials

What the latest survey measures

ROLLiN’ Insurance says almost 90 per cent of millennials in the latest NRMA Insurance Changing Gears research intend to purchase an electric vehicle as their next car. Australasian Paint & Panel reports that the research defines millennials as people aged 30 to 45. The figure records what respondents say they intend to do, not vehicles they have ordered or bought. ROLLiN’ and NRMA Insurance are both part of IAG. ¹

Changing Gears: Closing the Confidence Gap is the third report in NRMA Insurance’s series. According to its public release carried by The National Tribune, Ipsos conducted the survey online for NRMA Insurance among approximately 2,000 Australians and weighted the sample to reflect Australian Bureau of Statistics census demographics. Comparisons with 2024 refer to a separate survey of 2,079 consumers conducted in February that year. ²

The next-car figure differs from a battery-electric-specific measure reported by Insurance Business: 73 per cent of millennials said they were likely to buy a battery-electric vehicle in the future, compared with 81 per cent of Gen Z, 48 per cent of Gen X and 20 per cent of Boomers. A question about a future battery-electric purchase is not the same as one about an EV as the next car. The figures do not establish that millennials lead every measure of EV purchase intent. ¹⁶

Consideration has risen since 2024

NRMA Insurance reports that consideration of battery-electric vehicles rose from 20 per cent in its 2024 survey to 31 per cent in the latest survey. It puts plug-in-hybrid consideration at 58 per cent, up from 41 per cent, and says 17 per cent of respondents would not consider purchasing an EV. These are responses about willingness to consider a vehicle, rather than counts of sales or registrations. ²⁶

Among millennials, NRMA Insurance found that 63 per cent believed EVs could protect them against future fuel-price rises. NRMA Insurance also found that 63 per cent of millennials wanted to learn more about EVs, compared with 54 per cent of Gen Z respondents and 35 per cent of Boomers. Across respondents, its report says people familiar with EVs were more likely to consider buying one than those less familiar, at 63 per cent and 24 per cent respectively; that comparison does not show that familiarity caused the difference. ¹²

Battery, resale and charging concerns

NRMA Insurance says 60 per cent of respondents who would not consider an EV cited battery life as a barrier. It also reports that EV owners’ confidence in resale value fell from 76 per cent in the 2024 comparison to 56 per cent. The report identifies public charging access, inability to charge at home and access to trained mechanics among other concerns. Those survey responses measure perceptions, not the availability of chargers or repairers. ²

The used market adds a practical reason for interest in battery information. NRMA Insurance found that 54 per cent of prospective EV buyers would consider a used EV and a further seven per cent would only buy one used. Its report puts support for battery-health monitoring and testing at 82 per cent across respondents; Australasian Paint & Panel reports support at 80 per cent among millennials. Neither finding measures the condition of batteries in vehicles offered for sale. ¹²

NRMA Insurance also found that 69 per cent of respondents were concerned about end-of-life battery management, while 74 per cent supported a clear process for battery disposal, reuse and recycling. Separately, 57 per cent expressed concern about a lack of trained mechanics who could service or repair EVs in their area. These results describe the issues respondents raised, rather than establishing how often those problems arise during ownership. ²

What ROLLiN’s policies show

ROLLiN’ says EV motor insurance policies in its portfolio nearly doubled in the year to August 2026 and represented 10 per cent of its policies. ROLLiN’ puts Tesla at 54 per cent of those EV policies, BYD at 16 per cent and Zeekr at eight per cent. The figures concern one insurer’s policyholders; they are not a measure of the brands’ shares of Australian EV sales. ¹⁶

Other surveys ask different questions

An April Commonwealth Bank article reported findings from Pureprofile research involving more than 2,000 participants surveyed in February 2026, with a follow-up in late March. Pureprofile found 68 per cent would consider an electric or plug-in-hybrid vehicle, including 85 per cent of drivers aged 25 to 44. Among people planning to buy a car within a year, 32 per cent said they were most likely to choose an electric or plug-in hybrid, while 39 per cent preferred petrol. Its age range and inclusion of plug-in hybrids differ from the NRMA millennial next-car measure. ³

Savvy’s separate 2026 EV Sentiments Survey found 17.0 per cent of respondents either said they already owned an EV or intended to buy one within 12 months, while 28.2 per cent considered themselves unlikely to buy one. Savvy also found that 49 per cent nominated making EVs more affordable when asked what would improve accessibility. Its unlikely-to-buy response is not directly comparable with NRMA Insurance’s 17 per cent who said they would not consider an EV: likelihood and willingness to consider are different questions. ⁵²

A Chery Australia-commissioned survey offers another distinction. Conducted among 2,010 Australians intending to buy a car within three years, it found 87 per cent of Gen Z respondents would consider a ‘new energy vehicle’. Chery’s category includes conventional hybrids alongside plug-in hybrids and fully electric cars, so that result cannot verify how many Gen Z drivers intend to buy an EV as their next car. ⁴