Fintech lender MONEYME has recorded its largest surge in electric vehicle (EV) financing demand on record, with applications for its Autopay loans rising 90% month-on-month from February to March 2026, and petrol-based vehicles demand dropping 22%.
The surge builds on a sustained shift in consumer behaviour, with EV loan applications also up 270% year-on-year, as demand for hybrid vehicles also rises 44% year-on-year, while fuel vehicles declined 12% over the same period.
Australia’s exposure to global fuel markets has intensified the impact of price increases on households, and the rapid growth in EV financing reflects a structural shift in purchasing behaviour, according to Clayton Howes, CEO of MONEYME.
Clayton Howes said, “Australians are responding directly to fuel price volatility and supply uncertainty, and that is now visible in financing data. A 270% rise in EV applications over the past year, alongside declining fuel demand, signals a clear shift in how consumers are evaluating long-term vehicle costs.
“What is notable is the speed of change. A 90% increase in a single month indicates that external shocks, including fuel shortages and price spikes, are accelerating decisions that may otherwise have taken years.
“Access to finance is becoming a key enabler in this transition, as more Australians move to secure vehicles that reduce their exposure to fuel price risk and supply disruption.”
MONEYME’s latest lending data
Fully electric vehicles:
- ↑ 90% month-on-month (Feb–Mar 2026)
- ↑ 270% year-on-year (Mar 2025–Mar 2026)
Hybrid electric/petrol vehicles:
- ↑ 9% month-on-month (Feb–Mar 2026)
- ↑ 44% year-on-year (Mar 2025–Mar 2026)
Fuel-only vehicles:
- ↓ 22% month-on-month (Feb–Mar 2026)
- ↓ 12% year-on-year (Mar 2025–Mar 2026)
