Australia to target vehicle emissions to boost EV supply – GreentechLead

Australia’s government plans to introduce new regulations targeting vehicle carbon emissions to boost the uptake of electric cars. Just 2 percent of cars sold in Australia are electric compared with 15 percent in Britain and 17 percent in Europe, and the country risked becoming a dumping ground for vehicles that can’t be sold elsewhere, Climate Change and Energy Minister Chris Bowen said. Apart from Russia, Australia is the only OECD country to either not have or be developing fuel efficiency standards, which encourage manufacturers to supply more electric and no-emission vehicles, he said. “Policy settings are denying Australians real choice of good, affordable, no emissions cars,” Bowen told an electric vehicle summit in Canberra. Australia recorded 20,665 EV sales in 2021, a significant increase from the 6,900 sold in 2020, which means electric cars now make up 1.95 percent of the new car market. The government of Australia will release a discussion paper for consultation in September, with a focus on increasing EV uptake, improving affordability, and looking at options for fuel efficiency standards. Currently, just eight EV models priced under A$60,000 ($41,450) are available to choose from in Australia, compared with 26 in Britain, Bowen said. The move on…
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