While Australia’s electric vehicle sales stalled in 2020 with only 182 more electric cars sold than in 2019, new car sales data for January and February 2021 show a positive upwards trend.

During January and February 2021, 558 electric vehicles were reported as sold, an increase of 105.1% compared to the same period last year.

Despite this increase in uptake, battery and plug-in electric vehicles only accounted for 0.7 per cent of the total car sales, well below the global average of 4.2 per cent.

By comparison, EV sales in Europe increased their market share from 3.8 per cent in 2019 to 10.2 per cent in 2020. In the United Kingdom, EV share increased from 3.1 per cent to 10.7 per cent. And in Norway, it rose from 56 per cent to 75 per cent in 2020.

Electric Vehicle Council Chief Executive Behyad Jafari said the “baffling Australian anomaly” needed to end.

“Australian drivers are ready to join the exciting global electric car transition, but our politicians are yanking the handbrake,” Mr Jafari said.

“We have no targets, no significant incentives, no fuel efficiency standards – and in Victoria we even have a new tax on non-emitting vehicles.”

“Our governments are apparently doing everything possible to ensure Australia is stalled with its hazards on while the rest of the world zooms into the horizon.”

“The good news is that given Australia’s abundant natural advantages, it would only take a handful of small changes from government to get us right back on track,” Mr Jafari continued.

“If we follow the rest of the world and look to accelerate the shift to electric vehicles, we will be rewarded with clean city air, reduced carbon impact, enhanced fuel security, and a renewed manufacturing sector.”

Nissan Australia Chief Executive Stephen Lester has also criticised the federal government’s EV policies, suggesting they had missed an opportunity to set a similar direction for Australia by ruling out subsidies for EV’s last month.

“The UK, Norway, Canada, they have all taken a position to say we want to have this particular ambition and we want to guide our policy…. To that end. And I think at this moment, we don’t have that here (Australia),” he said.

“When you consider the access to renewable energy that we have here, when you consider the distance that people actually drive, the adoption of technology, some of the infrastructure that is already built, and the predominance of people living in homes with car parks or driveways already… there is no reason why we can’t be a global leader.”

The Government’s projected uptake of EVs was revised in December from 19 per cent of new vehicle sales to 26 per cent in 2030, without any government incentives or mandated targets.

Sources:

Electric Vehicle Council | New electric car sales figures show Australia stalled with hazards flashing

The Sydney Morning Herald | Maker of world’s most popular electric car blasts Australia’s lack of ambition

15 March 2021