RACV

Buyers have flocked to EVs and hybrid cars, including PHEVs, in the first half of 2026, seeking out SUV bargains from affordable Chinese brands like BYD and Chery as Toyota, Ford and others have struggled. Here’s a full wrap on Australian new vehicle sales. A massive surge in new EV and hybrid vehicle sales during the first half of 2026, led by BYD and Tesla, has put the Australian car industry on track for another record-breaking year.

RACV is urging Victorians to prioritise professionally installed home security systems over do-it-yourself solutions, as concerns around home safety and break-ins continue. With almost 28,000 residential burglaries recorded across Victoria in 2025, according to Victoria’s Crime Statistics Agency, RACV says proactive measures such as installing a tailored home security system can help deter opportunistic crime and protect households and belongings.

RACV Noosa Resort is scaling up its solar footprint, completing an expansion of its solar panel network, which is now one of the largest known solar installations at a hotel or resort on the Sunshine Coast. The milestone follows RACV Noosa Resort becoming one of the first two hotels in Australia to earn Ecotourism Australia’s Advanced Sustainable Tourism Certification. Completed in July, the expansion takes the resort to 2,107 solar panels with a generation capacity of approximately 940 kilowatts.

RACV is calling on the Victorian Government to introduce a $500 home safety and security rebate, to help households improve their home security and feel safer where they live. RACV’s Home Safety Pulse, released in April, showed a growing sense of unease among Victorians, revealing that one in five Victorians do not feel safe in their home, while around one in three feel less safe than they did 12 months ago.

Home insurance excess options Home insurance can help protect homeowners, renters and landlords by covering your home, contents, or both against certain unexpected events (depending on your policy), such as storms, flooding, fire and theft. Your policy may offer a range of excess amounts and types. For example, RACV Home Insurance policies include a variety of excess options. These are outlined in your policy documents and in the Premium, Excess and Discounts Guide (PED).

RACV has today released its first policy positions on automated vehicles, calling on the Federal Government to progress national safety laws and the Victorian Government to update the Road Rules and registration system so that the technology can be safely deployed on Australian roads.

EV drivers stranded after running out of charge could soon be back on the road faster, with RACV to trial a mobile DC fast charger in its Emergency Roadside Assistance patrol fleet from June. The trial will see a single patrol van fitted with a 20kW DC on-board charger, providing members with around one kilometre of range per minute of charging. In as little as 20 minutes, drivers can gain enough charge to reach their next charging stop or get home safely.

With the Victorian ski season set to begin, RACV is reminding motorists heading to alpine regions to prioritise safety, as icy, snowy and foggy conditions increase the risk of breakdowns and crashes during winter. RACV Emergency Roadside Assistance attended almost 4,000 breakdowns across Victoria’s alpine regions during the 2025 ski season (June to September), with job volumes peaking in July across both 2024 and 2025 as travel reached its busiest period.

Learn what causes potholes, how they damage tyres and suspension, and practical tips to help avoid costly car repairs when driving on damaged roads. Potholes are a frustrating reality for many drivers, especially after periods of heavy rain, flooding or fluctuating temperatures. They can appear suddenly, damage tyres and suspension, and create hazardous driving conditions for motorists, cyclists and motorcyclists alike. The issue is significant for regional road users.

RACV is encouraging Victorians to complete their winter home checks, with RACV Home Insurance fire damage claims rising 20.5 per cent between April and August 2025 compared with the same period a year earlier. RACV Home Insurance received 241 fire damage claims between April and August 2025, up from 200 in 2024 and 199 in 2023, as colder months coincided with increased demand on household systems. Cooking incidents, heaters and battery-related fires remain among the causes of fire damage claims.