Australia EV strategy leaked draft prompts uproar

A leaked draft of Australia’s EV strategy obtained by the ABC has brought criticism from EV advocates and experts.

The draft federal government strategy does nothing to accelerate the process and leaves Australia miles behind, Electric Vehicle Council chief executive Behyad Jafari says.

“If Australians were supported toward electric vehicles we could significantly reduce respiratory illness in our cities, shake off our fuel insecurity, cut our carbon emissions, and even firm up our grid with a giant collective battery,” he says.

“This strategy does not help us realise this exciting future.

“In the US, drivers are offered a $10,000 tax rebate for buying an electric vehicle, and American consumers get access to much cheaper electric vehicle options because of their long-standing vehicle emission standards.

“This strategy leaves Australia miles behind just as the exciting global transition to electric vehicles is picking up pace.”

Another expert says the draft strategy proposes only doing the bare minimum, while concerns have also been raised about what has been left out of it rather than what’s included, the ABC says.

It suggests the strategy to improve EV uptake is long overdue, shows minimal support for motorists to make the switch, no EV sales goal, and leaves EV proponents seeking direct financial support to lower EV prices.

A discussion paper is expected soon.

The draft strategy mentions $72 million funding already announced for co-investing in charging infrastructure, a two-year trial of an EV fleet for COMCAR which provides cars and drivers for politicians, updating the ‘Green Vehicle Guide’ website, and asking energy agencies to look at options for car-to-home and car-to-grid battery use.

The Australia Institute climate and energy director Richie Merzian describes the strategy as “the bare minimum”, the ABC reports.

“What we need are serious incentives to bring on board electric vehicles,” he says.

Merzian says that be funding to reduce the upfront costs or lowering some taxes like the luxury car for EVs.

Fuel efficiency standards to help clean up light vehicles are not mentioned in the draft strategy either, the ABC explains.

While the ACT government proposes offering free registration and interest-free loans for EV purchases (excluding hybrids), Victoria, South Australia and New South Wales have all recently moved to impose road user charges (RUC) on EV owners – aiming to introduce them from July 1 next year.

The RUC suggestions have also been blasted by EV advocates.

The EV strategy, initially promised in early 2019, has been re-named the Future Fuels Strategy discussion paper and was expected to be released for public discussion mid-2020 but is now likely shortly.

The ABC says energy minister Angus Taylor didn’t respond to questions about the draft discussion paper, a spokesman saying only that the government wouldn’t comment on unverified draft documents.

Taylor is reported as saying the discussion document would be out in weeks, adding there had been a switch of focus with the COVID-19 pandemic.

He expects the strategy will help Australians choose when they want an EV or hybrid.