The Slow Shuffle toward Electric Cars
The emergence of electric cars as a viable alternative to fossil fuel based vehicles is an exciting and most needed environmental intervention in Australian society today.
Unfortunately, despite the obvious benefit this new mode of transport offers to proactive climate change initiatives, it has taken a while for the idea to take root in the national consciousness.
The Australian Adoption Rate
The Sydney Morning Herald estimates that just 100 electric cars were in use in Australia five years ago. That figure increased to 1900 towards the end of 2014, and of these, 1200 new electric cars were registered in that year alone.
So why has the adoption rate been so slow? Apart from the ever-present fear of change accompanying any behavioural or cultural shift in a population, there are other reasons why we are not all driving electric cars already.
Barriers and Progress
Stuart Nesbitt, The City of Moreland’s Climate Change Officer in Melbourne, is on point when he identifies one roadblock to quicker adoption of this technology. “One of the barriers to buying these cars is the perception that there’s not enough public charging infrastructure.”
However, the reality is that charging stations are quickly starting to pop up in large cities. Melbourne boasts 23 charging stations including 6 in the City of Moreland alone.
Developments and Early Adopters
Last year electric carmaker Tesla launched their Richmond (Melbourne) showroom and has committed to opening charging stations up the coast between Melbourne and Brisbane before the end of 2016.
Despite these developments, in Australia electric cars are still only in the hands of early adopters – usually highly educated middle-aged men, owners of solar panels who also like to keep up with technological advances.
Subsidies and Electric Cars
Perhaps the biggest impediment to wider electric car use in Australia is the fact that there are no government incentives to encourage the purchase of electric vehicles. This makes Australia the only first world country not to offer a subsidy to help cover some of the upfront cost of buying an electric car.
However, if you are looking to purchase an electric car, but find the initial upfront cost a challenge, you could investigate a car loan from a reputable finance company. That way you can do your bit for the environment and get a buzz out of being an early adopter of the latest transport technology, without a huge upfront investment.
Looking to the Future
In The Path Forward for Electric Vehicles in Australia, ClimateWorks Australia states it is “the development of policies to support electric vehicle technology that could bring significant changes in terms of not only the technologies utilised for personal transportation but also in moving economies away from petroleum and lessening the environmental footprint of transportation”.
Furthermore, as this industry grows, there is a strong potential for new employment opportunities created “through sales, charging infrastructure deployment…
It remains to be seen if Australia will get on board with electric cars and make a real commitment to climate change initiatives, or whether it will just remain trailing behind, choking on its own excessive CO2 emissions.
The charging infrastructure isn’t *just* a perception issue. While it’s easy to charge in Sydney and Melbourne, urban charging is much less of an issue for EV adoption than highway charging. Intra-urban trips are easily within the range of an EV charged at the user’s home – destination charging is just a perk. But, and it’s a big but, inter-city journeys are ENTIRELY dependent on fast, reliable en-route charging at regular intervals – and this is where Australia fails, and fails completely. No one but a die-hard enthusiast is going to pay $40k+ for a car that can’t practically leave it’s home city.
Until such time as the federal government takes firm, concrete steps to support an interstate charging network, then EV advocates would do best to focus on two areas. Firstly, low-cost EVs as second cars as cost effective daily commuters that can compliment rather than replace a larger ICE or PHEV vehicle. Cars like the Mahindra e2o and Citroen C-Zero / I-miev / Peugeot Ion are good prospects in this regard.
Secondly, advocating for PHEVs with support for rapid charging and decent electric range as primary or sole vehicles, which can be a good bridging solution till the government smells the coffee. To this end, getting cars like the VW Golf GTE and 2nd gen GM Volt into the Oz market, and doing what can be done to push the models already here like the Outlander and i3 Rex on to the roads. Having a green Holden again could be a real help for EVs. The world – and Australia – has changed since the Gen 1 Volt, and GM needs to give it another chance.
This is a vexatious question and one that puzzles me greatly.
Rest assured that the EV revolution WILL happen in Australia, it is only a matter of when. The role out of EV’s and the supporting infrastructure in the rest of the world is happening apace and seemingly unstoppable. While our political masters prefer to dwell in the past the travelling public will soon be returning to our shores with stories of wondrous electric hire cars, charging stations everywhere, enthusiastic political support for clean energy etc. Equally, tourists to Australia will remark at the virtual absence of EV’s and furrow their brows perplexed at the answer to the question, why?
So yes, I’m suggesting we as a nation will be embarrassed into doing something about it and its not too far away, barring a catastrophe such President Trump. Here’s why.
We now do not have any home grown vehicle manufacturers to support so the old excuse for not offering incentives to support EV’s has gone; the political landscape around climate change has matured from denial to acceptance that there needs to be a price on carbon pollution (this too is inevitable); once fossil fuels are encumbered with a carbon pollution cost the disparity in running costs between an ICE and an EV will become glaringly obvious especially to those charging for free from their solar panels; the issue of range anxiety is evaporating with the development of long range battery systems; autonomous vehicle systems, which hold the promise of dramatically improving safety on the roads, will be designed around electric systems and are being actively promoted by state governments.
The above are just a few of the forces that are neatly aligning in Australia so that the mass adoption of EV’s is inevitable if obscured by the bull dust of current politics.
Nothing will change in Australia, While Mining Giants & Big Oil Companies are in Control. And Giving Bribes to our Governments, Oh that’s right it’s called Donations. Only then you might see some EV’s. I have tried too Buy an EV, And every Dealer in South Australia is not Interested, The Feed back I get is there are NO Electric Car’s in Australia. I Realy can’t Believe that.
Harry, you can get good deals on the Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV in Adelaide. I have one and it is a good compromise between the benefits of electric and the range afforded by the 2ltr petrol engine. EV charging infrastructure is essentially non existent in SA so the PHEV fits the bill. I believe Tesla are going to open a store/service centre in Adelaide this year, fingers crossed. Once that happens then I’m ordering a model 3.
Agree the fossil industry has its influence deep into our political landscape and seemingly the Murdoch press. Nevertheless we must vocally support our State leadership for boldly challenging their supremacy with the renewable energy initiatives and give a firm rejoinder to those who seek to undermine the success with their warped interpretation of cause and effect. Good luck with the EV hunt, you won’t regret it.
Thanks Doug for your reply. But I do have heart set on an EV, I will be patient and see how progress prevails, I have a Mother in a Nursing Home 51kms away, That’s about the Furthest I go now day’s, If I can get there and Back with a bit Left over I would Quite Happy. I do Like the Kia Soul EV for what I want, But if they are Available in South Australia is another story, I do think Mr Turnball is not interested in Green Energy, He is Hung up on Coal, The last time my Parents had a Coal Fire was back in the 50’s Seems Like we are going Back in Time. Instead of Forward. Harry.
Hi I would love to see the Australian government come to the party in time to show the big company’s that we are ready to ride the wave of change that is coming and allow us the choice of cars with the range and price that can allow use to take the ride as well. Until they do give insentives I don’t believe those
company ‘s will give us the benefit of the doubt eg GM Bolt. We will miss that wave, but there is still time. I suppose we will see. We can only hope hay.
And thanks for a great story, very informative Don.
Once again, Australia is lagging behind many countries to reduce air pollution. India proposes to cease production of petroleum power cars in 13 years time and concentrate on electric car production.
With recent improved battery capacity of electric cars and recharge stations, now is the time to install solar powered recharge stations, perhaps using solar panels on the roofs of roadhouses.
Most rural churches use electricity just a few hours a week; if they had roof solar panels the surplus electricity could be stored to recharge cars. This would enable recharge stations to be located in most rural towns. Many churches already use solar electricity, some locating the panels in the shape of the cross. Financing could be shared by churches, local-state-federal govt and RAC.
The Anglican church in Nannup (WA) has a recharge station on its grounds but is mains powered. The town benefits by selling refreshments or the visitors observing the town features while the car is being recharged.