This article has been updated to include details of the new US fuel efficiency standards
A large contingent of mayors and councillors from across Australia have urged the Australian government to introduce fuel efficiency standards and other policy measures to increase the supply of electric vehicles.
About 120 councils called on the federal government on Wednesday, outlining the case for fuel efficiency standards that would help car manufacturers deploy more passenger and heavy vehicle EVs to Australian shores.
The Climate Council co-ordinated the group through its Cities Power Partnership, which supports local government bodies in working towards net-zero emissions.
City of Greater Bendigo mayor Andrea Metcalf said her council is being held back from procuring a fleet of 100 EVs because there is a lack of adequately-priced options on the market.
“We also know that some people in our community are in a similar position. They also want to be driving electric vehicles that are good for the environment, have lower running costs and are affordable,” she said in a statement.
“Fuel efficiency standards are critical to unlocking this supply in Australia and would be a game changer for the transition of our transport sector to clean fuels.”
Waverley Council Mayor Paula Masselos said transport accounted for 20 per cent of the council’s emissions and if there were a mass uptake of EVs among residents it would supercharge its efforts towards hitting net-zero emissions by 2035.
Australia has become a dumping ground for polluting vehicles, with few affordable and available EV options currently on the market
Australian Capital Territory Energy and Emissions Minister Shane Rattenbury pointed out that most other developed countries have legislated fuel efficiency standards. “As a result, Australia has become a ‘dumping ground’ for polluting vehicles, with few affordable and available EV options currently on the market.”
Australia could have saved $5.9 billion in fuel costs and avoided nine million tonnes of CO2 emissions if it had introduced fuel efficiency standards in 2016, according to the Climate Council.
In Australia, EVs comprise just 2 per cent of all new vehicles sold.
The Australian government sought feedback on a potential introduction of fuel efficiency standards as part of a consultation for the National Electric Vehicle Strategy in September and October last year.
Big response to fuel efficiency possibility but still no decision
Charging infrastructure and road user charges is also included in the scope of the strategy. The government received 447 responses to the consultation but has not yet revealed whether it will introduce fuel efficiency standards.
More than 180 councils across the country are signed up to the Cities Power Partnership, representing nearly 70 per cent of the Australian population.
The US is moving on fuel efficiency
Overnight Wednesday, the US Environmental Protection Agency announced higher fuel efficiency standards for the US, which would place a limit on the total amount of emissions attributed to each automobile manufacturer. The policy will avoid nearly 10 billion tonnes of CO2 emissions, and reduce US oil consumption by 22 billion barrels between now and 2032.
The policy is intended to encourage EV sales to hit 67 per cent of all passenger vehicles sold in the country by 2032, according to an EPA statement.
Any move by the US to introduce fuel efficiency standards will place the Australian government under pressure, because it could increase the amount of higher-emissions unsold stock being exported to Australia.
The Recharging Australia report released by Solar Citizens in late March argued that having internationally-competitive fuel efficiency standards would save $11.2 billion in fuel costs over five years.