A Labor Government would use tax breaks to ensure half of all new cars sold in Australia by 2030 are electric vehicles (EVs). Labor Leader Bill Shorten has unveiled the EV goal policy ahead of the federal election in mid-May. Carbon emissions from the transport sector make up around 20 per cent of Australia’s total emissions.
In addition, Labor would offer tax deductions to businesses to buy EVs for their fleet, ABC News reports. The plan would dramatically increase the number of EVs in Australia.
Labor is also due to announce its climate change policy today.
New cars sold in Australia: EVs deserve a boost
Electric vehicles currently make up a tiny fraction of new cars sold in Australia. According to industry stakeholders, a lack of government support for an EV goal means we lag behind the EV uptake in many other areas of the world.
The Electric Vehicle Council (EVC) says EVs are far cheaper to run than fuel-powered cars. While petrol costs anything from $1.30 to $1.55 per litre, a EV runs at around $0.33 per eLitre.
A Clean Energy & Electric Vehicle survey found earlier this year that EV drivers tend to get hooked very quickly. As reported in Renewable Energy Magazine, most EV drivers would never go back to driving a petrol-powered car.
Zero emissions EVs can significantly reduce Australia’s damaging carbon emissions in line with our Paris Agreement obligations.
EVs can also be charged overnight at home using solar installations and solar batteries like Tesla Powerwall 2 and Enphase.
Challenges still facing EVs in Australia
In February this year, the Federal Coalition Government released a ‘policy to develop’ a policy. This supported EVs in theory, but failed to give any detail about a broader Coalition policy.
Meanwhile, relatively few EV models are available in Australia. They also tend to be more expensive than their fuel-powered competitors.
Australia faces extra problems because it is such a large country. Many EV drivers therefore suffer from ‘range anxiety’ and fear running out of charge far away from a charging station.
Infrastructure Australia (IA) claimed in February that Australia is in desperate need of an EV fast-charging network.
Fast-charging EV stations at regular intervals around the national highway network will make EVs popular, IA claims.
ALP’s climate policy revealed today including EV goal
Labor will roll out its climate change policy today. It aims to allow a federal Labor Government reach its target of 50 per cent renewable energy by 2050.It would also ensure Australia cuts emission by 45 per cent by 2030. Shorten confirms:
- There will be no carbon tax and no carbon pricing.
- Carry-over carbon credits will not be used.
- Labor will consult with industry on emissions baselines.
- Labor will scrap the Coalition’s controversial Climate Solutions Fund.
- The already announced EV goal
