Hopes electric car policy will have Queensland charging ahead

QUEENSLAND is positioning itself to become the national leader for electric vehicles.

QUEENSLAND is positioning itself to become the national leader for electric vehicles.

An electric vehicle charge point in Melbourne. Picture George Salpigtidis

A strategy released on Wednesday proposes transitioning the State Government’s car fleet to electric and encouraging recharging stations at parking areas in public transport hubs.

The 16-point blueprint also flags expanding the recently-unveiled “electric super highway network” of fast-charging points from Coolangatta to Cairns, especially in tourist regions.

A trial of electric public transport vehicles, including driverless shuttles, is also being investigated along with charging facilities to encourage a shift to electric freight trucks.

But the strategy lacks any specific targets, instead proposing the establishment of a Queensland Electric Vehicle Council, with industry, government and community representatives to drive the future direction.

It was announced on Wednesday at the official opening of the production facility of Brisbane-based company Tritium, which is producing hi-tech charging stations for the local and international market with the help of a $2.5 million government grant.

Minister for Main Roads and Energy Mark Bailey said the strategy “outlines a range of programs to empower consumers, enable charging infrastructure, explore cost-effective programs to support the uptake of EVs, and envisage what future government action may be required for the transition’’.

Queensland wants to follow in the footsteps of countries like Germany who are at the forefront of the electric car charge. German leader Angela Merkel, above. Picture: Sean Gallup/Getty Images

Electric Vehicle Council of Australia CEO Behyad Jafari said: “Queensland has today jumped out ahead of the rest of the nation by joining the global movement toward electric vehicles.

“The benefit of this leadership to Queensland businesses, households and the environment will be significant in the years ahead.’’

Very few of the world’s 60 models of electric cars are available in Australia, which has one of the lowest levels on the planet. Only 0.1 per cent of new car sales here last year were electric.

But that is expected to rise to 7.7 per cent within five years and reach more than one in five by 2030.

As availability and cost improve, the government hopes Queenslanders will take to electric cars with the same enthusiasm as they embraced solar power with the world’s second highest levels of household PV panels.

Jaguar E-Type Electric Car, a 1968 model updated in September 2017 with an electric motor and lithium-ion battery pack by Jaguar Classic Car Division. Picture: Supplied.

The strategy says a shift to electric vehicles will help support the state’s push for a 50 per cent renewable energy target by charging at times of peak renewables generation.

And it says they could even help keep Queenslanders’ power bills down.

“As household and business grid electricity demand decreases and solar PV energy production increases, Queensland’s per capita grid electricity consumption will continue to fall over the coming decade.

“Given the significant investment already made in Queensland’s electricity network, it is important that the grid is adequately utilised in order to manage the network’s impact on electricity prices.”