Car dealer sees big surge in electric car interest as fuel skyrockets
Tasmania’s premier has joined his counterparts interstate asking the federal government – which pockets 44.2 cents per litre – for relief from high petrol prices.
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PREMIER Peter Gutwein has joined his counterparts interstate asking Prime Minister Scott Morrison for relief from high petrol prices.
With regular unleaded fuel prices around Hobart ranging from $2.07 to $2.31, motorists are feeling the pinch. The federal government pockets 44.2 cents per litre.
Mr Gutwein has written to Mr Morrison asking for some temporary relief.
“Higher fuel prices are having real impacts now on businesses and consumers, and this is particularly the case in Tasmania,” Mr Gutwein said.
“With the ongoing conflict, and related sanctions on Russian oil supplies, further price rises are expected.
“It is unclear whether this will be a short-term situation or whether it will have a more prolonged impact.
“As a small, regional island economy, Tasmania faces challenges in having comparable petrol prices to mainland capital cities, including additional transportation costs across Bass Strait, the level of competition in wholesale and retail markets and our market size making economies of scale difficult to achieve.”
In 2001, then Prime Minister John Howard suspended the indexation of the fuel excise because of the rising cost. Petrol was pushing $1 per litre at the time.
Minister for Small Business Madeleine Ogilvie backed a cut to the fuel excise.
“If the Prime Minister is able to reduce that excise as a temporary measure we would be grateful for that.
“We’ve heard a lot from families, who are feeling the pinch, and we’re looking to do something about that … the increasing price is a factor of what’s happening globally.’
Labor MP Josh Willie said petrol was just one of a number of produces who price was rising fast.
“I know the cost of living these hurting families right across Tasmania, whether it’s petrol, whether it’s groceries, or whether it’s Peter Gutwein’s new bin tax that he’s going to slug on every household across Tasmania,” he said.
Bowser causing you pain? Maybe it’s time to think electric
TASMANIA’S electric car dealers are reporting a massive surge in inquiries as fuel prices continue to climb, global tensions escalate and worries about climate change peak in the wake of Australia’s floods.
The cheapest fuel in Hobart on Sunday was 213.9 cents a litre for regular unleaded at Caltex in Moonah – up 13 cents on the cheapest found in the city just three days ago.
On Sunday morning the dearest bowser in Hobart, Coles Express in Elizabeth St had unleaded going for 229.9 cents a litre.
RACT chief advocacy officer Garry Bailey has warned Tasmanians petrol prices were forecast to stay above the $2 mark for the “foreseeable future.
Anthony Broese van Groenou from the Good Car Company said the pain at the bowser was one of the factors driving 400-500 inquiries about going electric to his business each week.
Second hand electric cars start at $17,000 and you can “plug it in like a phone” to charge.
That charge will allow drivers to travel 100km before they need to plug in again.
“On regular tariff power it would cost about three dollars to charge a car overnight,” Mr Broese van Groenou said.
That compares to paying well over $100 to fill your average unleaded fuel tank at the moment.
“There has been a big surge in interest in electric vehicles in Tasmania. I would say it would be three to five fold on what it was only a month ago.”
Government funding will see 20 extra fast charge points built around the State bringing the total to over 150.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison has promised motorists the government is working on bringing down skyrocketing petrol prices and said the federal budget could deliver some cost-of-living support.
Mr Morrison said the surging fuel price was being driven by the war in Ukraine.
“So we’re working with other countries around the world at the moment in terms of releasing fuel reserves to try to alleviate the pressure on fuel prices,” he said at the weekend.
"What is driving fuel prices are things well beyond the shores of Australia.”
Mr Bailey said it was important motorists shopped around for petrol.
“The RACT FuelSaver app is free and lets people see up to date fuel prices in their area before they leave their driveway,” Mr Bailey said.
“Our app is helping to keep fuel prices down and we encourage people to support retailers with the lowest prices.”
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Originally published as Car dealer sees big surge in electric car interest as fuel skyrockets
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