The regulation sets an average target of carbon emissions (per kilometre) for the fleet of new cars sold each year. Vehicles can be sold both below and above this target, but overall, need to meet the average or exceed it. Manufacturers who beat the target earn credits that can be sold to manufacturers that miss the target.

Each year this target reduces, and as a result, the regulation encourages manufacturers to introduce more efficient vehicles to ensure they meet the target each year, and minimise how many credits they may have to purchase from their competitors.

Unlike over 85% of the global car market, Australia does not currently have a New Vehicle Efficiency Standard. As a result, Australia has become a dumping ground for some of the world’s most inefficient and polluting vehicles.

The Australian Government is currently developing a standard. If this standard is designed correctly, it will enable Australia to catch up to other markets like the US, and as a result, benefit from a significant increase in the supply of low and zero-emission vehicles, including EVs.

To find out more about the government’s development of a New Vehicle Efficiency Standard, go to: www.cleanercars.gov.au

You can also read more about the EVC’s public recommendations for a New Vehicle Efficiency Standard here, our detailed submission to the government here, plus independent research we commissioned on the potential benefits of a standard for Australia here.

The post What will a new vehicle efficiency standard mean for EV adoption? first appeared on Electric Vehicle Council.

This growth will have a major impact on the automotive industry as internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles are gradually phased out. Some car manufacturers and governments have already made commitments to phase out the sale of new ICE vehicles in the late 2020s and 2030s.

It is expected new ICE vehicles will likely remain available to purchase into the 2030s, but in order to reduce transport emissions to achieve net zero by 2050, it’s important that the overwhelming majority of new cars sold in the mid-2030s are zero-emission vehicles e.g. EVs.

Even if all new cars sold were EVs from 2035 onwards, it would still likely take 15-20 years for the entire vehicle fleet to be made up of EVs. As such, second-hand ICE vehicles will likely remain available in Australia until around 2050.

The post Will electric vehicles replace internal combustion engine vehicles entirely? first appeared on Electric Vehicle Council.

While we do not have a full list of all electric scooters, bikes, trucks and buses available in Australia, you can view our list of electric cars in Australia here.

The post What EV models are available in Australia? first appeared on Electric Vehicle Council.

Additionally, the first electric ute went on sale in Australia in late 2022, and we anticipate many more will become available over the next few years. There are also several companies converting combustion engine utes to electric utes, particularly for mining or off-road purposes. You can keep an eye on electric car models available in Australia on our website here.

The post When will electric trucks and electric utes be available in Australia? first appeared on Electric Vehicle Council.

In Australia, at present there are some vehicles that come with a feature called “vehicle-to-load” (V2L), which allows 240V appliances to be plugged-in to the car and run off the vehicle’s battery. This can include lights, kettles, power tools, etc.

There have also been some initial trials of exporting power from EVs back to the grid using a feature called “vehicle-to-grid” – although this is not yet widely available commercially. This feature provides the vehicle owner will the ability to potentially charge using cheap electricity, and then sell electricity back to the grid at a profit. Related to V2G is another feature called “vehicle-to-home” (V2H) which allows EV owners to power their homes using the vehicles battery, either to reduce costs or as a backup during a blackout. The average EV battery holds enough energy to power a home for anywhere between 3-7 days.

While we are still a few years away from these features being available in many EVs, there is significant promise for EVs being able to provide energy benefits, in addition to meeting transport needs, in the near future.

The EVC is actively working with our members, other stakeholders and governments to support the development of V2G.

The post Can electric vehicles be used to power buildings or community shelters? first appeared on Electric Vehicle Council.