Door ajar for used EV imports to Australia

The door is being opened to allow some used imported electric vehicles and hybrids into Australia.

That might also pave the way for New Zealand dealers to become involved.

Changes to the Specialist and Enthusiast Vehicles Scheme (SEVS) will allow importation of new and used EVs that are not already brought to Australia by established brands, subject to certain criteria.

One of those criteria includes allowances for bringing in more energy efficient drivetrains, that is EVs and hybrids.

SEVS can be assessed only by build date; not clashing with sell dates in Australia, Australian Imported Motor Vehicle Industry Association (AIMVIA) vice-president Kristian Appelt says.

“Discussions we’re having are to push for ‘Environmental Vehicles’ under the SEVS criteria, based on emissions – hybrids, EVs, plug-ins, fuel cell vehicles. Because of the price of new EVs being high, you won’t get a high uptake.”

Appelt says to get EVs into the market quickly a price tag around A$25,000 to A$30,000 is needed.

He says A$25,000 would get a nice Nissan Leaf with a 30kWh battery, while he expects the new Nissan Leaf – due next year – could be in the high A$40,000s.

The Leaf qualifies under the current SEVS (June 1, 2013 to September 2017, after Nissan stopped selling them in Australia) and the same build dates will qualify under the new SEVS as proposed.

Appelt believes many importers will have a mix of EVs and hybrids available, alongside new EV dealers.

He describes EV availability in Australia as “horrendous”.

“What is available brand new from a dealership to the average consumer who isn’t an EV enthusiast is either incredibly expensive and almost unattainable, or is effectively only available to fleets through lease programmes.”

“We’re telling government that EVs and their inherent benefits are too important to not allow us to import them – and if consumers want an EV we should be allowed to sell them one.”

The SEVS criteria for more energy efficient drivetrains is “the exciting part for us”, says Electric Vehicle Council Australia chief executive Behyad Jafari, due to speak on August 10 at the EVworld NZ event in Auckland.

However, just because a vehicle is on the list doesn’t guarantee it will get into Australia.

Any nominated vehicles will have to go through a process to meet certification and regulations before being allowed in, including having been on the international market a minimum three months.

For that reason – and the fact some imported vehicles are already in Australia – Jafari doubts it will lead to sudden vehicle price rises.

Jafari also says it’s unlikely to cause intensified competition in markets like Japan and the United Kingdom for vehicles.