Although many countries have announced ambitious timetables to phase out internal combustion engine vehicles, few are expecting a smooth transition.

In places such as the US, Japan and Germany, car-makers have huge lobbying power and often succeed in thwarting legislation that they don’t like. And car importers here, through the Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries (FCAI) body, are asking the government to “respect the types of vehicles Australian want to buy”. Which is another way of saying “big ICE vehicles”.