Greening your ride

Given the growing interest in electric vehicles (EVs), you might be wondering exactly what the Australian government is doing to support their take up.

The simple answer is that there is no support.

The interest in EVs is clear. According to the Electric Vehicle Council’s annual report, sales of EVs tripled in 2019.

Not only is there no support – there is no government policy on EVs. By contrast, every other developed country has standards and policies in place in relation to EVs.

The advantages of EVs are clear. Electric vehicles are highly efficient, requiring less maintenance than fossil-fuel-driven cars, while also producing zero emissions. Cheap, renewable refuelling can be provided by solar panels if you have them on your home.

Banyule City Council has committed to switching their light car fleet to hybrid and electric vehicles in the short term. The Council has committed to providing infrastructure for a fully electric light and heavy vehicle fleet, and to switching all council vehicles to zero emission alternatives (electric or other), by 2028.

It is predicted that there will be a decrease in public transport use and an increase in car traffic as people return to work post-covid restrictions. Combined with the impact of the North East Link, any reduction in the number of fossil-fuel-powered vehicles, and their contribution to local pollution and increased CO2, would be welcome.

Sustainable Macleod is currently investigating what further assistance Banyule Council could provide to make it easier for Banyule residents to take up electric cars. We would be happy to hear from anyone who is interested in purchasing an electric vehicle, and what obstacles they see to doing this.

Written by Paul Gale-Baker

You are welcome to contact Paul Gale-Baker at sustainablemacleod@gmail.com if you would like to add your comments or questions to the discussion.