Tim Storer to lead Senate inquiry into electric car manufacturing in Australia, favouring Adelaide
INDEPENDENT Senator Tim Storer will lead the charge to kick start electric car manufacturing in Australia, having secured Government to chair a high level inquiry into the industry.
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INDEPENDENT Senator Tim Storer will lead the charge to kickstart electric car manufacturing, both in South Australia and nationally, having secured Federal Government support to chair a high-level inquiry into the industry.
In a rare move, the crossbencher has been given control of a Senate inquiry which will make recommendations about what Government support and legislative changes are required for the electric vehicle industry to flourish.
Labor and the Greens also supported the move.
Senator Storer plans to hold hearings in Adelaide as he said South Australia was ideally placed to be home to the industry.
“We are on the cusp of the biggest disruption to our transport system since the advent of the internal combustion engine,” Senator Storer said.
“As the world’s leading lithium exporter, Australia is in the box seat to develop EV (electric vehicle) supply and value-chain industries.
“Adelaide, as a flat, well planned, grid city with a world-class data network, and high rooftop solar penetration, is also the perfect testing ground for new EV technologies and business models.”
The bid follows billionaire industrialist Sanjeev Gupta earlier this month supporting plans to bring a worldwide electric street racing series to SA.
The Whyalla steelworks saviour was unsuccessful in a bid to buy equipment from Holden’s closed Elizabeth factory but has signalled he is still keen to build an electric car manufacturing hub in Australia.
Senator Storer said that given it was less than a year since the Elizabeth plant closed, there was still a sizeable skilled workforce in SA which could accommodate an electric vehicle industry.
The uptake rate of electric vehicles in Australia is about 0.1 per cent of new vehicle sales. Estimates show it would increase to 0.3 per cent by 2020 and 15 per cent by 2030 as electric vehicles become more price competitive. Such a rise would result in more than 12,000 electric vehicles registered in Australia by 2020 and about 1 million by 2030.
The Senate committee will focus on the economic, environmental and social benefits of widespread electric vehicle uptake in Australia.
It will also scope the opportunity to develop electric vehicle manufacturing and supply chain activities benefits.
Electric Vehicle Council chief executive Behyad Jafari said the committee would give the industry a platform to continue exploring the benefits, opportunities and challenges in the transition from old to future road transport.
“Most importantly, the actions from this effort will give Australians access to vehicles that are cheaper to drive and healthier to have on the road,” he said.
Energy Minister Josh Frydenberg has previously said increasing the uptake of electric vehicles was an important part of the Turnbull Government’s broader strategy to reduce emissions.
Originally published as Tim Storer to lead Senate inquiry into electric car manufacturing in Australia, favouring Adelaide
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