The future of driving is here, and it’s electric. Electric vehicle (EV) sales are accelerating globally, with over three million fully battery-powered and hybrid cars purchased worldwide in 2020 – an almost four-fold increase in the past five years.
But in Australia, it seems we’re stuck in the slow lane. Despite demand growing year on year, EVs still only make up a measly 0.2% of our total fleet – around 20,000 cars in total. That’s minuscule compared to most other OECD countries such as Norway, where 13.64% of all cars on the road are electric.
Australia is a global leader when it comes to renewables such as solar – so why are we so reluctant to put our foot on the gas when it comes to EVs?
“There’s no doubt we’re slower regarding uptake of electric vehicles,” says Ben Warren, Nissan Australia’s national manager for electrification and mobility. While we might automatically associate electric cars with brands like Tesla, there are now more than 50 EV models available in Australia, with most major manufacturers represented. This category includes both ‘pure’ battery electric vehicles, such as the Nissan LEAF, and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles, such as the
