The Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries (‘FCAI’) welcomes the opportunity to provide this submission to the Standing Committee on Climate Change, Energy, Environment and Water (‘the Committee’) regarding the Inquiry into the Transition to Electric Vehicles (EV).
As the Peak Body representing automotive manufacturers, importers and distributors within Australia the FCAI is uniquely placed to understand the complexities which Australians face when looking at the orderly transition to low and zero emission technologies which our members provide to the market.
Australia’s demography and geography, coupled with it being a small and distant right-hand-drive market, about one per cent of total global sales, sets it apart from the rest of the world, making the many comparisons with Europe, China or America difficult and potentially meaningless.
Disparate population centres congregated around Australia’s coastline further complicate the roll-out of a charging network, especially to regional and remote areas. To get more EV’s and hybrids on the road, we need more charging stations across our suburbs, regions and rural areas.
With a membership base which spans brands engaged in the sale of 99 per cent of all new vehicles sold in Australia, our members supply a range of powertrain technologies including Battery Electric Vehicles (BEV), Plug-In Hybrid EV’s (PHEV), Hybrid’s and Fuel Cell Electric Vehicles.
Our objective continues to support Government, our members, and the Australian consumer to access vehicles which can reduce overall transport related emissions, while continuing to meet consumers’ needs at affordable prices.
In providing these inputs to the Committee, they are not designed to be an exhaustive representation of the factors which will be important to consider in the transition, but rather some of the largest and most pressing matters.
We will welcome an opportunity to speak with the Committee, and individual members, at their convenience.
Read the full submission below.