Australian mayors and councillors from Sydney to the Swan Valley are calling on the government to supercharge the country’s supply of affordable electric vehicles (EVs).
Related article: 100 companies join push for 1 million EVs by 2027
A joint statement signed by 120 council elected officials as part of The Cities Power Partnership urges the federal government to legislate fuel efficiency standards that:
- Are mandatory and deliver at least equivalent settings to those in other major markets.
- Give Australian drivers more choice and affordability than they have today.
- Support 100% of new vehicles sold in Australia to become zero emissions as soon as possible.
- Are reviewed and updated approximately every five years.
The Cities Power Partnership is a program offered by the Climate Council to support local governments on their journey to net-zero emissions.
City of Greater Bendigo Mayor Andrea Metcalf said, “The City of Greater Bendigo has a goal to transition more than 100 light fleet to EVs by 2030, however, we are held back by the limited options available in Australia at the right price point.
“We also know that some people in our community are in a similar position. They also want to be driving EVs that are good for the environment, have lower running costs and are affordable.
“Fuel efficiency standards are critical to unlocking this supply in Australia and would be a game changer for the transition of our transport sector to clean fuels.”
ACT Minister for Energy and Emissions Reduction Shane Rattenbury MLA said, “Vehicle manufacturers send their cleanest vehicles to countries that demand low and zero emissions vehicles through effective fuel efficiency standards. For too long Australia has been left with less efficient and more polluting vehicles, which limits the choices Australians have when purchasing a new car.
Related article: Corporate Australia can ‘lead the charge’ for EV uptake
“We need to set national fuel efficiency standards for vehicles to make sure we get the cleanest cars on our roads. Setting strong fuel efficiency standards is vital for meeting our emissions reduction targets and for making more affordable electric vehicles available to Australians.”
