SYDNEY (Reuters) – Australia on Wednesday released its first national electric vehicle strategy, aimed at ensuring the country has a better choice of electric vehicles and improved affordability in a bid to boost the uptake of cleaner vehicles.
As part of the plan, the federal government will introduce a fuel efficiency standard, working with the industry to finalise details in coming months, Energy Minister Chris Bowen said.
Apart from Russia, Australia was the only developed country to either not have or be developing fuel efficiency standards, which encourage manufacturers to supply more electric and no-emission vehicles.
Transport is the third largest source of carbon emissions in Australia – one of the world’s biggest emitters on a per capita basis. The initiative will help cut the country’s emissions by at least 3 million tonnes of carbon by 2030, and over 10 million tonnes by 2035, Bowen said.
Australia’s centre-left Labor government last year flagged it had plans to introduce new regulations targeting vehicle carbon emissions to increase sales of electric cars, as it looks to catch up with other developed economies.
“Fuel-efficient and electric vehicles are cleaner and cheaper to run – today’s announcement is a win-win for motorists,” Bowen said in a statement.
On average, new cars in Australia use 40% more fuel than the European Union and 20% more than the United States, with studies showing the introduction of a fuel efficiency standard could save motorists A$519 ($349) per year, Bowen said.
($1 = 1.4868 Australian dollars)
(Reporting by Renju Jose in Sydney; Editing by Lincoln Feast)
