Sales of electric cars in Australia vaulted about 70 per cent in 2017 but the nation is lagging "about seven years" behind global uptake, an expert has tipped, as demand begins to ramp up.

A new report by Bloomberg New Energy Finance estimates worldwide demand for electric vehicles would rise to almost 1.6 million in 2018, up 45 per cent from a year ago.

The consultancy predicts global sales "to explode in the late 2020s as the technology establishes a cost advantage over internal combustion engine car," reaching 30 million by 2030.

Electric vehicles are projected to grow rapidly in coming years, led by companies such as China's YUDO group. Credit:AP

The proportion of sales made up of plug-in electric cars in Australia last year was about 0.2 per cent or about 2400, compared with just under 2 per cent globally.