Canberra electric vehicle summit kicks off as Labor pledges to make zero-emission vehicles cheaper

Lawmakers, industry advocates, and car-lovers alike have descended on Canberra for a major electric vehicle summit, designed to increase EV uptake and remove barriers to their adoption by Australian drivers.

Climate Change Minister Chris Bowen is set to outline the Labor government’s plan to increase EV uptake, with changes to fuel efficiency standards and import tariffs top of the agenda.

Australia is one of the only major developed nations in the world not to embrace tightened fuel efficiency standards, an oversight Bowen claims has resulted in Australia becoming a “dumping ground” for high-emission vehicles.

“It means consumers aren’t getting the choice available internationally and as the world moves towards more efficient and cleaner vehicles, we risk becoming a dumping ground for older technology which can’t be sold in other markets,” Bowen will tell the summit, according to an except obtained by the Nine papers.

Luxury vehicle import taxes will also be examined, given EVs tend to be more expensive than their internal combustion counterparts.

Last month, Labor introduced legislation to Parliament which would slash fringe benefit tax considerations for EVs.

Appearing alongside Bowen as he drove a Hyundai EV around Canberra, Transport Minister Catherine King said the summit “aims to get more cheaper electric vehicles into the markets, into the driveways of all Australians”.

Two Ministers in an EV chatting about our plan to get more affordable EVs into the Australian market 🚙 🇦🇺 pic.twitter.com/xwDypXceD4

— Chris Bowen (@Bowenchris) August 18, 2022

The Labor government is set to release a discussion paper on its proposed National Electric Vehicle Strategy next month.

The summit arrives months after data which showed just 1% of Australian households owned an EV.

The July report, compiled by Energy Consumers Australia, found only 36% of consumers thought they would buy an EV in the future, despite the rising cost of petrol and a growing awareness of how fossil fuel emissions can damage the environment.

However, the report did unearth growing optimism among the private sector, with 50% of small business consumers saying they expect to purchase an EV in the future.

Some government programs already exist to facilitate that take-up, with the Victorian Government in May revealing a $1.5 million plan to help businesses transition to zero-emission fleets.