Electric vehicles now top of new car wish lists, RAA says

For the first time ever, electric vehicles have hit the top of South Australian wish lists, new research says.

For the first time a majority of buyers in the new car-market are keen on looking at the electric vehicle option.

A survey by the 700,000 motorist-member RAA has found 62 per cent of buyers are now interested in the option, an increase from 42 per cent in 2020.

RAA spokesman Mark Borlace said the figures reflected the desire for motorists were looking at EVs to reduce their car running costs.

“Fuel costs are the biggest energy bills facing households with two cars and this could only get worse once the 24.3 cents per litre cut to the fuel excise is reinstalled at the end of September,’’ he said.

The shock figures make sense to Todd Hughes of Mercedes-Benz Unley, who said growing interest was reflected in numbers through the showroom floor, as well as increase in the marques EV offerings increasing to five models by the end of the year.

“We have two models now, small and medium, but the range will expand rapidly,’’ he said.

“But there are also a lot of early adopters that when they see a new technology coming in they want to try it.”

Linda Jiang testing out an EQA250 Mercedes-Benz at the Unley dealership. Picture: Keryn Stevens

Mr Hughes said environmental concerns were still a major reason for people to consider the EV option.

“Even further back before petrol prices got to expensive there was a lot of interest in electric.

“Affordability has also changed people’s thinking. Once we got a Mercedes EQA out starting from $85,000 a lot of people took notice.”

Mr Borlace said the survey of 1500 members also found 74 per cent were concerned about rising fuel prices and many were seeking alternative transport to cut their fuel bills.

Adelaide petrol prices hit a record peak this week of 229.9c a litre.

Mr Borlace said the survey also revealed three quarters of respondents were concerned about climate change, a major factor driving interest in EVs.

“There was an ardent desire among those surveyed – 71 per cent – to reduce their own transport emissions and purchasing an EV is one way of achieving that,’’ he said.

Linda Jiang testing out an EQA250 Mercedes-Benz at the Unley dealership. Picture: Keryn Stevens

The RAA expects the price of electric vehicles to match that of fossil-fuelled models by 2005 or 2006, and earlier in other parts of the world.

It will finish the installation of 140 charging points across the state by January 2024.

The survey showed the top factors which discouraged respondents from purchasing an EV were the purchase cost, 65 per cent, and a lack of accessibility to charging equipment 57 per cent.

Of those surveyed, 70 per cent said governments should place a higher priority on electric vehicle policies.

And 67 per cent said they should subsidise the cost of purchasing, 64 per cent said subsidising the cost of home charging, 59 per cent called for discounting EV registration and stamp duty and 51 per cent providing more public charging.