Australian EV incentives suggested

A national electric vehicle strategy implemented under an inter-governmental taskforce should be a priority for the Australian Government.

That’s the key recommendation in a report released on January 30 from the Senate Select Committee Inquiry into Electric Vehicles, chaired by South Australia senator Tim Storer.

The EV roadmap outlines 17 recommendations to accelerate EV uptake and take advantage of opportunities the switch presents.

The committee received 137 submissions and heard from 85 people at hearings last year.

Storer says the committee agreed Australia lags behind other countries in EV take up “because of the relative absence of overarching policy direction from Australian governments”.

Without “appropriate regulatory settings, Australia’s near term EV uptake is likely to be modest”, the committee says.

The result will be “fewer EV models being available to Australian motorists” as well as delaying “the realisation of substantial economic, environmental and health benefits”.

National targets for EV take up should be set, the committee suggests (New Zealand’s is 64,000 EVs by the end of 2021).

The Government should plan the rollout of public charging infrastructure and develop an EV and related component manufacturing roadmap.

Storer proposes phasing in a Road User Charge (RUC) for EVs from 2025-26 when price parity with petrol and diesel vehicles is expected and fuel excise contributions to help build and maintain roads decline. That’s similar to New Zealand too, where EVs are exempt from RUC until at least December 31, 2021.

Other measures include that EVs should be exempt from import tariffs and Fringe Benefits Tax out to 2025-26 and a target set for half all new Australian Government fleet leases to be EVs by 2025-26.

The Government should also help underwrite reductions to EV registration costs and stamp duty, support fast charging infrastructure on highways and in workplaces and fund EV technology research and development along with manufacturing opportunities, the report suggests.

Storer says people deserve to know before they vote in the coming elections what parties vying to form the next government plan to do about lifting Australia’s EV game.

“My package is responsible, evidence-based policy making with clear benefits for the motorist, community health, the environment, the economy and the budget,” Storer says.

Meanwhile, most Australians support state and federal EV incentives, according to new research from The Australia Institute Climate & Energy Program.

It says 79% support the Government building a charging station network across the country, 76% back governments procuring EV fleets and 55% support loans for EV uptake.

Nearly three out of four Australians (74%) support rebates to promote charging station installation and for new apartment blocks to be required to host charging stations (73%).

Two out of three Australians (66%) want the Luxury Car Tax removed from imported EVs.

Luxury Car Tax changes suggested by the EV select committee including narrowing the definition of fuel-efficient vehicles to 4L/100km, returning the standard vehicle rate to $57,180, and indexing both to the vehicle CPI.

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