In 2017, Australia recorded only 2,284 Electric Vehicle (EV) sales. This is expected to rise form this year onwards as more EV models are introduced to the market and charging infrastructure improves (currently there is roughly one charging station for every six EV’s). But Australia still lags behind much of the world in EV uptake (more than three million on the world’s roads), so there’s considerable room for improvement.

According to a report released on June 15 by the Electric Vehicle Council (EVC) and ClimateWorks Australia; it claims EV growth in Australia comes on the back of global trends, media interest
and growing consumer awareness at home and points a finger at state and federal governments to do more. The state of electric vehicles in Australia Second report: Driving momentum in electric mobility found there were improvements in EV sales, as well as an increase in the range of models available and charging stations numbers. A significant increase in media interest in EVs is seen by EVC chief executive officer Behyad Jafari. He says that’s occurred alongside a notable growth in EV sales.

“While Australia still trails behind the global leaders in electric vehicle uptake, with EVs making up 0.2% of new car sales, we have seen a number of small but important shifts across the range of
EV indicators in 2017,” Jafari says.

“The report found there were 2284 EVs sold in Australia in 2017, representing a 67% increase from the previous year.”

Australians bought 1208 battery-electric vehicles (BEVs) and 1076 plug-in hybrid EVs (PHEVs). EV models available in Australia have also increased, from 16 to 23 in 2017, which may be partly linked to the national rise in EV sales, the report says. It adds most new models were PHEVs in the higher price range. Charging stations increased from 476 locations in 2017 to 783 sites in 2018 (64%). Nine new plug-in hybrid and battery EV models expected to be introduced during the next 18 months could also boost uptake. Five of the models are likely to be $60,000 or less.

“Business continues to be the largest buyer of EVs, accounting for 63% of sales in 2017,” Jafari says. That mainly includes manufacturer fleets and dealer demonstrators. Private buyers account for 34% of sales. EV sales in government fleets remain at 3%.

Governments could use their greater purchasing power to encourage a broader uptake of EVs in fleets, helping investment through lower priced EVs and in charging infrastructure, Jafari says.

“Australia has much to gain through improved public health, energy security and increased economic investment from the electric vehicle industry. While this has been recognised by developed
countries around the world, Australia continues to fall behind,” Jafari says.

Urgent government policy support is required, he says.

ClimateWorks Australia implementation manager Claire Painter says the report shows EV sales and public charging infrastructure roll-out increased in all states and territories from 2011 to 2017,
but the rate of uptake differed. Victorians bought the highest number of EVs – 1324 vehicles between 2011 and 2017.

“This was closely followed by NSW with the number of EVs purchased between 2011 and 2017 totalling 1238, which was the greatest percentage increase over the
last seven years,” Painter says.

ACT continues to outperform other states and territories in market share. In 2017, ACT residents purchased 21 EVs for every 10,000 vehicles sold. The Queensland Government’s Electric Vehicle Superhighway has helped boost DC fast chargers in that state from five last year to 24 in 2018. While City of Adelaide initiatives helped increase charging infrastructure there from 42 to 76 in a year. Meanwhile, another report shows Australia has 97 models of “green vehicles” for sale, up from 51 in 2016. The Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries (FCAI) says the National Transport Commission (NTC) Carbon Emissions Intensity for New Australian Light Vehicles report supports the motor industry’s view that the purchasing preferences and driving needs of Australian vehicle buyers must be an important consideration in any future emissions target discussion.

“We at the FCAI think that maintaining consumer choice is important,” FCAI chief executive Tony Weber says.

He says the NTC report confirms what Australian new vehicle buyers already identified as important to them – access to the widest possible vehicle choice and diversity to suit work and lifestyle requirements, as well as the more prosaic needs of mining, agriculture and industry. The report’s investigations also revealed that “if all Australians who purchased a new vehicle in Australia [in 2017] had purchased ones with bestin-class emissions, the national carbon emissions intensity would have been reduced by 58% to 76g/km”.

The NTC report found national new light vehicle carbon emissions had declined by 0.3% between 2016 and 2017. The FCAI says it has promoted the need for a realistic, mandated CO2 and emissions standard that is relevant for Australia, its consumers and driving conditions over many years.

Source: AutoTalk

24 Jul 2018