Australia has been lagging behind when it comes to EV adoption, but that has changed.
Three years ago, electric vehicles made up less than one per cent of overall car sales in Australia and were rarely seen on Sydney's roads. Even the sales of tractors are double that of electric cars.
Today, that's changing, with electric vehicle sales in Australia rapidly picking up, led by the almost ubiquitous Tesla Model 3, and more brands and models are starting to flood the market.
Demand for electric vehicles in Australia is currently surging, with sales of electric vehicles in the country tripling to about 20,665 last year, the Sydney-based Electric Vehicle Council said, and the momentum is not set to abate in 2022.
The government previously said its A$250 million ($172 million) Future Fuels Fund would provide electric vehicle charging infrastructure to 50,000 households and fund 1,000 public charging stations.
However, figures show that electric vehicles currently account for just 2 per cent of all new car sales in Australia, well behind the global average of 13 per cent in the final three months of 2021.
In addition, Australia lacks fuel efficiency standards that could drive the most polluting vehicles out of the market and make more room for electric vehicles. This has led automakers to prioritize other countries when launching new models. That means consumers looking to buy an electric car are faced with very limited options and patience, with EVs sometimes taking months to deliver in Australia.
Last week, Western Australia announced a $3,500 tax rebate for consumers buying electric vehicles. That means every state and territory in Australia, including the most populous state of New South Wales, has introduced some form of electric vehicle subsidy, incentive or tax exemption scheme.
