The New South Wales State Government has released a bold strategy for Electric Vehicles. The Strategy by The Hon. Andrew Constance MP, Minister for Transport and Roads and the Hon. Matt Kean MP, Minister for Energy and Environment identifies how the rest of the world is moving on EVs and Australia is being left behind.
Included in the strategy are some bold goals for the state to increase EV sales to 52% by 2030-31 and a goal to have the vast majority of new car sales being EVs by 2035. Currently, battery EVs make up only about 0.68% of new car sales in New South Wales.
In the strategy, it highlights that global demand for EVs has increased dramatically, with total stock reaching over 10 million in 2020 compared to less than 20,000 in 2010.
Internationally we see ambitious government policies from the likes of the US and UK and others.
The US under the Biden Administration plans to spend $174 billion to drive EV uptake and upgrade its 640,000 Government fleet of vehicles to EVs.
- The US under the Biden Administration plans to spend $174 billion to drive EV uptake and upgrade its 640,000 Government fleet of vehicles to EVs
- Norway plans to end sales of new petrol and diesel vehicles by 2025
- The UK plans to ban the sale of new petrol and diesel vehicles by 2030
- Sweden offers a grant for up to 25% of the purchase price of low emissions vehicles and 50% of the price for home charging points
- Japan plans to end the sale of petrol and diesel cars by the mid-2030s
- France will spend €1.3 billion to drive the uptake of EVs before prohibiting the sale of petrol and diesel vehicles by 2040
- Germany plans to put 10 million EVs on the road and install 1 million charging stations by 2030
- China requires all automakers and car importers to manufacture or import at
least 12% EVs - Canada will spend CAD$600 million to incentivise the uptake of EVs and develop a coast-to-coast fast charging network
- Singapore has a plan to ensure all vehicles in the country are low-emissions or zero emissions vehicles by 2040
- New Zealand plans to invest NZ$300 million in electric vehicles and upgrade its Government fleet to be emission-free by 2025-26
When it comes to commitments by automakers, they seem to be growing each week as more conclude the future of their business depends on a successful transition to what customers want, more EVs.
- Toyota will produce 5.5 million EVs per year by 2030
- Volvo will be a fully electric car company by 2030
- Ford will phase out internal combustion engines in Europe by 2030
- General Motors will phase out internal combustion engines in light duty
vehicles by 2035 - Hyundai will phase out internal combustion engines by 2040
- BMW will offer electric models across 90% of its range by 2023 and plans for
50% of global deliveries to be electric by 2030 - Honda will only sell EVs in Europe by the end of 2022
- Jaguar Land Rover will only sell EVs through its Jaguar brand from 2025
and through its Land Rover brand from 2036 globally - Stellantis will offer EVs across 100% of its range by 2030
- Volkswagen will spend over US$30 billion to develop EVs by 2023, and intends electric models to make up 40% of its fleet by 2030
Under the new plan, the NSW Government will:
is supporting at least 20 fast chargers in regional New South Wales and is trialling chargers in commuter carparks in Greater Sydney.
• added 36 battery EVs, 23 plug-in hybrid EVs and 2741 hybrid EVs to the NSW Government fleet between January 2019 and March 2021
• has delivered an online NSW EV guide which provides information on available EV models, benefits of EVs, EV charging, and a total cost of ownership calculator.
The NSW Government has also committed to transitioning the State’s 8000 buses to zero-emissions technology.
Included in the Strategy are 5 key actions, they are:
- Helping drivers buy an electric vehicle
- Building a world-class electric vehicle charging network
- Making it easy to drive an electric vehicle
- Creating jobs and growing the economy
- Keeping road funding fair and sustainable.
On the first point, NSW are offering stamp duty discounts for those that buy EVs, as well as offering $3,000 rebates off the price of a new EV, with up to 25,000 grants available for cars up to $68,750.
The second point relates to a charging commitment by the NSW Government to co-invest with private companies to add more ultra-fast chargers at 100 km intervals across all major highways in New South Wales – creating ‘EV Super Highways’ across the State.
That final point is really important, as it includes the introduction of a Road User Charge. NSW’s plan to do this is not until July 1st, 2027, some 5 years away, or when EVs make up at least 30% of new car sales (whichever is first).
While VIC already charges EV owners a road user charge of the same 2.5c per km, NSW will phase out stamp duty on all EVs, making the cost a little easier to swallow.
You can read the full strategy at environment.nsw.gov.au
