Climate Change Minister Chris Bowen says plug-in hybrids must be part of national electric vehicle policy, including for tax incentives to spur uptake, setting up a fight with the Greens, who say that vehicles burning any petrol should be excluded.

Speaking as he released a national electric vehicle strategy discussion paper, which includes consideration of an emissions standard to accelerate EV sales, Mr Bowen indicated he would put it on the Greens to tear down a measure aimed at reducing greenhouse pollution.