A diverse group of Australian organisations “overwhelmingly” support a policy that would encourage car makers to bring more electric vehicles into the country, a new report says.
Greenpeace Australia released an analysis of 212 submissions to the National Electric Vehicle Strategy consultation, revealing 73 percent of all groups supported the introduction of a fuel efficiency standard, and none opposed the measure.
The consultation, which closed in October last year, canvassed opinions on what policies were needed to accelerate the supply and adoption of electric cars in Australia, build infrastructure and lower prices.
Greenpeace said 73 percent of organisations who made submissions to the policy supported the introduction of a standard that would set an emissions target for each car brand.
Supporters included all six major motoring groups, including the NRMA and RACQ, 77 percent of businesses such as Woolworths and Westpac, and 78 percent of academic bodies.
Business lobby groups were less supportive, with just 52 per cent in favour of the policy, but all five car makers which made submissions to the government called for the policy, from Toyota to Tesla.
Greenpeace Australia Pacific campaigner Joe Rafalowicz said the study proved the government had little reason to delay its introduction.
“The federal government is in pole position: it has support from its stakeholders and everything it needs to get racing on implementing an ambitious fuel efficiency standard,” he said.
“To be effective at reducing emissions from transport, the standard cannot be riddled with loopholes, so-called super credits, or other special favours to big car companies.”
Australia is one of only two OECD countries without a fuel efficiency standard and one of four countries in the G20, alongside Russia, Indonesia and Turkey.
Ben Haddock, future mobility lead from engineering firm Arup, said Australia’s current policies to encourage electric vehicle sales were incomplete as they were boosting demand from consumers while failing to address their supply.
“You can’t have the carrots of incentives being the only enabler for electric vehicles,” he said.
“You also need to deal with the challenges to supply we’ve currently got.”
Haddock said the government should set an ambitious target to reduce car pollution to avoid missing its aim to cut carbon emissions by 43 percent in 2030.
“The dirtiest vehicles shouldn’t be allowed to come to Australia,” he said.
“I think we have to set the bench high. There’s no point to having a staged approach as we have a goal in 2030.”
Electric vehicles made up 3.8 per cent of all new vehicle sales in 2022, according to the EV Council.
