Ahead of this weekend's election, Electric Vehicle Council CEO Samantha Johnson said the next state government, whatever its political stripes, must keep its foot on the pedal to boost EV uptake, to lower costs for households and improve air quality in their communities.
As Queenslanders grapple with high living costs, EVs provide significant savings due to lower running expenses and reduced maintenance needs compared to petrol or diesel vehicles.
Electric vehicles have proven popular in the Sunshine State, representing nearly 10 percent of all new light vehicles sold in Queensland in Q2 this year - a five-fold increase on the same period in 2022.
Electric Vehicle Council CEO Samantha Johnson said: "The next Queensland government has a golden opportunity to accelerate the shift to cleaner, more affordable transport.
"It's encouraging to see the major parties commit to 50-cent public transport fares, but the same focus on cost-of-living relief should be extended to stronger support for electric vehicles - cars that eliminate expensive fuel costs and are cheaper to maintain. EV drivers save hundreds, if not thousands of dollars, every year once they make the switch.
"Offering incentives for electric vehicle uptake is one of the most effective ways state governments can reduce the upfront purchase price which is still a barrier to adoption, particularly for households that would benefit the most from the lower running costs.
"Queensland's recently shelved Zero Emission Vehicle Rebate Scheme was a huge success that helped lower-to-middle-income households access the EV market. The high demand led to an early exhaustion of funds, leaving families without access to this crucial incentive. We strongly advocate for the introduction of a similar scheme to drive broader adoption and expand the developing second-hand EV market.
"Increasing EV uptake not only reduces costs for Queenslanders, it can support the economy. The government can create jobs and enhance the state's position in global EV and battery supply chains by supporting local manufacturers to produce heavy electric vehicles, and leveraging Queensland's critical mineral resources and skilled workforce. The government can also boost regional economies by investing in public EV infrastructure."
Electric Vehicle Council is advocating for the next Queensland government to adopt its '5-point EV Action Agenda':
- Reinstate an EV Rebate Scheme to reduce costs: a $100 million EV rebate program, offering $3,000 per new EV on a means-tested basis, which will help reduce the upfront cost for Queensland families. This measure will directly address cost-of-living pressures while helping Queensland achieve its target of 200,000 EVs by 2027.
Expand charging infrastructure for economic growth: an additional $30 million in competitive co-funding for public fast-charging stations, $10 million for kerbside charging, and $10 million to retrofit chargers in apartment buildings. This will support regional tourism, improve the liveability of our urban environments, and future-proof Queensland's transport network.
Support local industry and businesses: invest in Queensland's manufacturers to produce more electric trucks and buses so the state can capitalise on growing global demand while helping local businesses switch to electric heavy vehicles so they can benefit from lower running costs.
Invest in the EV supply chain to create jobs: work with the federal government to bolster the state's Battery Industry Strategy and support the development of an internationally competitive battery materials sector to drive job creation, innovation and long-term economic growth. Expanding Queensland's Zero Emission Bus Program is also critical to support local jobs and industry development.
Reform regulations to support industry and infrastructure: this includes streamlining network connections for EV chargers, updating technical standards to allow EV-to-grid power, making home EV charging more affordable in regional Queensland, and addressing non-evidence based fire safety requirements that hinder EV infrastructure development.
