Aussie cities ranked among the least friendly for EVs

Australia’s EV future faces a grim outlook, with a new report showing the nation is missing vital pieces of its electric puzzle.

Shocking new data has painted a grim picture for Australia’s electric vehicle future, revealing that our major cities are among the least EV-friendly in the entire world.

A comprehensive global analysis by Compare the Market, which assessed 106 cities, found that some of Australia’s major cities consistently landed in the bottom 10 across five crucial factors for EV readiness, including incentives and charging station availability.

Each city was ranked based on the following factors: chargers per capita, national average electricity cost, incentives score, EV sales relative to the city’s population, and the number of EVs per capita.

While some cities are better equipped for electric vehicles than others, it doesn’t look good for Australia.

Canberra emerged as Australia’s top performer, securing the 33rd spot globally with a score of 2.94 out of 10.

Sydney placed 74th in the rankings. Picture: Daily Telegraph / Monique Harmer

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Hobart ranked 89th, trailing behind the Gold Coast, which secured the 88th position. Perth performed a little better, achieving 66th place in the rankings.

Brisbane also outperformed Hobart, landing in 85th position. And in a closely contested comparison, Melbourne was ranked 73rd, just ahead of Sydney, which came in at 74th.

While electric cars have gradually made their way into the Australian market, they haven’t achieved mainstream appeal, and most states and territories have limited incentives for EV owners.

While Queensland and New South Wales have previously offered rebates and subsidies for EV purchases, they initiatives have since ended, with EV owners getting at least one incentive: discounts on car registration fees every year.

Canberra emerged as Australia's’s best city when it comes to EV friendliness. Picture: Jonathan Ng

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Canberra stood out as an exception, receiving full marks for its comprehensive incentives, which included registration discounts, rebates on the purchase of an electric car, and grants for installing charging stations, helping it achieve a higher ranking than other Australian cities.

Another significant challenge affecting the adoption of electric vehicles in Australia is the national average electricity cost, which is notably higher than the global average.

In addition to this, Australians encounter further obstacles in embracing EV technology, such as range anxiety and high initial purchase costs, which are often associated with soft resale values.

Photo of roadside EV charging

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Dutch cities claimed the top three positions in the ranking: The Hague (5.14/10), Rotterdam (5.10), and Amsterdam (5.00). The report highlighted that these cities had the highest number of charging stations per capita, a key factor in the ranking system that allowed them to surpass other EV-friendly cities.