Australians’ Love of Utes Shows Need for Strong Vehicle Pollution Standards Across the Board
Thursday 15 September 2022: Australians’ Love of Utes Shows Need for Strong Vehicle Pollution Standards Across the Board
Today’s report by the National Transport Commission clearly shows we need strong and consistent fuel efficiency standards (FES) for all cars, SUVs and light commercial vehicles, says clean transport advocacy group Solar Citizens. The report indicates that, despite a tripling of electric vehicle (EV) sales, new car emissions are continuing to rise in part because of increasing SUV and ute sales.
“Australians love their utes, and the market is already responding to the demand for a right hand drive EV ute,” says Solar Citizens Clean Transport Campaigner Ajaya Haikerwal.
“When electric utes arrive in Australia, we know that people will embrace them. Demand for EVs has never been higher and when Australians can pair their love of utes with the petrol and pollution savings of an electric model, they will leap at the opportunity.
“We're pleased that the Albanese Government has committed to investigating fuel efficiency standards – the key policy to accelerate the supply of affordable EVs and bring down transport emissions.
“Now we need to ensure that the standards we bring in are strong enough – without the loopholes that the petrol car lobby is calling for,” said Mr Haikerwal.
“Given the purchasing trends uncovered in today’s report, it's clear that we cannot have two different standards for cars and for SUVs and light commercial vehicles like utes, as the petrol car lobby is demanding. Failing to have strong pollution standards for Australia’s favourite vehicles will cause us to fall even further behind the rest of the world.
“With strong fuel efficiency standards we will see more and more EV options being available in Australia. New Zealand went from three to ten percent of new car sales being EVs in just under a year, after they introduced their FES equivalent, the Clean Car Standard.
“Petrol prices are affecting Australians from all walks of life – nurses, retail workers, tradies and office workers alike. No matter what car we have, if it's using petrol it's hurting our hip pockets. Addressing the supply issue of EVs with fuel efficiency standards will bring a range of EVs to the country and give people the opportunity to buy the electric car that suits them the most.”
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Media Contact: Ajaya Haikerwal 0400 723 324
