Labor’s much-anticipated cornerstone electric vehicle policy – aimed at stoking supplies from global car makers into Australia of zero-emissions vehicles – is set to be delayed amid internal concerns the idea lacks enough community support.

The government is understood to be concerned about the level of complexity involved in the introduction of a so-called fuel efficiency standard, which would penalise importers for selling internal combustion engines (ICEs) to encourage greater shipments of EVs and low-emissions vehicles.