Labor promises cheaper electric cars and cash for solar powered batteries, if it wins next federal election
The federal opposition is vowing to make electric cars substantially cheaper and has declared it will install 400 "community batteries" in suburbs to help cut power bills, if it wins the next election.
To reduce the cost of electric vehicles, Labor plans to exempt many models from import tariffs and fringe benefits tax.
That could make a $50,000 car, like a Nissan Leaf, as much as $2,000 cheaper.
If a business provided the same car to an employee through work arrangements, the company could save up to $9,000 a year.
"A majority of Australians say they would consider buying an electric model as their next car," Labor Leader Anthony Albanese said.
"But because of scaremongering and the policy vacuum under the Morrison government, electric vehicles remain unaffordable for most Australians."
The policy would only apply to non-luxury electric vehicles – cars worth less than $72,565.
It is expected to cost the budget $200 million over three years and would begin in July 2022.
Former opposition leader Bill Shorten made fuel efficient vehicles a key part of his failed 2019 campaign, promising half of all new cars sold in Australia by 2030 would be electric.
In response, the government said Labor had declared "war on the weekend". Prime Minister Scott Morrison even claimed: "What Australians have always expressed a preference for is the vehicles that have a bit of grunt and a bit of power."
But opposition frontbenchers believe customer preferences are changing rapidly and they think many voters are now increasingly worried Australia will be left behind, as other nations increase their take-up of fuel-efficient cars.
Labor wants to see components of electric cars manufactured in Australia and is vowing to work with the states to improve charging infrastructure around the nation.
"By 2030, we think well above 50 per cent of new vehicles sold in Australia could be electric, so three or four million electric vehicles on our roads," said Behyad Jafari from the Electric Vehicle Council.
"We are a global laggard right now, so to get there we'd just have to dp what every other developed country in the world does — temporary tax breaks, getting ride-share and business fleets to turn electric.
"This policy from Labor will certainly encourage car manufacturers to import more electric cars and importantly, more affordable electric cars."
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-03-31/labor-promises-cheaper-electric-cars/100039794
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