Thanks VicRoads, but my Model 3 already has EV stickers, you should have known that

I’ve had my all-electric, Tesla Model 3 for around a month now. When it first arrived, I remember noticing the EV sticker in the bottom center of the number plate. This was the first time I’d seen one on a number plate so naturally, I jump online to find out what it was all about.

The EV sticker on both the front and rear number plates is a clear indicator to first responders that this car is a little bit different than many they’ve dealt with.

In the event of an accident, emergency service works like fire fighters, police, ambulance personnel have standard protocols to follow. In the event the vehicle catches fire, they need to be aware this is an EV, to respond accordingly. In the example of a firefighter, you may select a different type of extinguisher to expel flames from a lithium-based fire, versus a petroleum-based fire.

Depending on the damage, responders may also need to access the hard wire that cuts power to the battery (located under the bonnet). Those who’ve watched Formula E will have seen pit crews wait till their cars are electrically secure before interacting with them and when they do, it’s usually through non-conductive rubber gloves.

Today I received a letter from VicRoads, the State Government’s Road Authority. This contained two EV stickers, to be attached to the front and rear number plate.

Given I’ve driven almost 2,000 kilometres in the past 4 weeks, it does raise the question, what would have happened if I was in an accident during that time and the stickers weren’t on the car?

Thankfully we’ll never know because the stickers were in place from the delivery day. When you buy a Tesla Model 3, you complete the paperwork that authorises Tesla to register your vehicle. This means a division of VicRoads, already knew I got the plates and they got the EV stickers. This just wreaks of a lack of communication or a breakdown in workflow that allowed communication to the customer, without first checking an internal database.

While I got new plates with the car, there is an option to elect for new custom plates or to move plates registered with a previous vehicle, to the new car. Understandably, if the later happened, there would be an opportunity for the car to arrive without the EV labels.

Again that doesn’t explain the month-long delay and it also doesn’t explain my receipt of the EV labels today, as they clearly know from the form I completed and the plates they made and provided Tesla, the EV labels were on new plates.

Here’s the letter in full.