Queensland Electric Vehicle Subsidies Get Qld Out of the Slow Lane
16th March 2022: Queensland Electric Vehicle Subsidies Get Qld Out of the Slow Lane
The Queensland Government’s $55 million electric vehicle funding package has today been welcomed by clean transport advocacy group Solar Citizens as an important first step to driving down transport pollution. The announcement includes $3,000 for 15,000 electric vehicles and $10 million for electric vehicle charging infrastructure.
“With fuel prices and the cost of living going through the roof, more and more people want to switch to cars you can fuel up at home for a fraction of the cost,” said Stephanie Gray, Strategist at Solar Citizens.
“Government support for the rollout of electric vehicles is vital for Australian families to have a long-term solution to battle volatile petrol prices.
“Electric vehicles are cheaper to run and maintain than petrol cars and they slash emissions, but the price tag is still a major barrier for many people.”
A survey of a representative sample of 807 Queenslanders commissioned by Solar Citizens in December 2021 found that purchase price was the biggest barrier to switching to an electric vehicle, particularly for those on a low income.
“The $3,000 rebate is a practical step to reduce the cost of electric vehicles and puts Queensland on the same page as states like New South Wales and South Australia that are encouraging the uptake of cleaner cars,” said Ms Gray.
“But more government support is needed to build a thriving local electric vehicle industry and provide commuters with a reprieve from high fuel prices.
“We’ve seen a number of states make commitments to boost the uptake of electric transport while the Morrison Government has been asleep at the wheel on this issue.
“There’s plenty more that both states and the Federal Government can do to slash the upfront cost of cleaner electric cars so that Australians can cash in on the fuel savings.”
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Media contact:
Stephanie Gray 0425 543 006
