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EV Council on GM’s demise: Electric vehicle policies ‘Holden’ us back
Less than a year since Holden left Australia, it’s parent company GM has announced that it is going to build all-electric vehicles, which is no coincidence, an industry expert has revealed.
EV Council on GM’s demise: Electric vehicle policies ‘Holden’ us back
Less than a year since Holden left Australia, it’s parent company GM has announced that it is going to build all-electric vehicles, which is no coincidence, an industry expert has revealed.
General Motors announced that they are completely phasing out vehicles using internal combustion engines by 2035, touting “an all-electric future for the company”.
“General Motors is joining governments and companies around the globe working to establish a safer, greener and better world,” chairman and chief executive Mary Barra said in a statement. “We encourage others to follow suit and make a significant impact on our industry and on the economy as a whole.”
Electric Vehicle Council chief executive Behyad Jafari said the move shows just how "out of step Australia currently is" with the rest of the world on electric vehicles.
“It’s no coincidence that GM decided to pull out of Australia shortly before making this announcement,” Mr Jafari said.
“GM’s announcement underscores how fallacious the argument is that we can sit on our hands and just let the electric vehicle revolution happen to us. Other nations will jump ahead and capture all the benefits of the electric vehicle revolution and Australia will be left languishing decades behind.”
Mr Jafari’s statement follows the South Australian government trying to become the first state in the world to tax electric vehicles.
The NSW treasurer also announced plans to launch an EV tax, although neither state has implemented one.
At the time, the Australian Automobile Association managing director Michael Bradley applauded the two state governments, but called for the federal government to step in.
“The technological shifts we’re seeing in the car market are good for consumers and the environment, but they are also going to significantly undermine the federal budget and its reliance on fuel excise revenue to fund transport projects.”
“The federal government must step in and ensure tax changes are nationally consistent, equitable and progressed in a manner that does not disincentive technological transition.”
Mr Jafari pointed out that policy settings are leaving Australia behind while the rest of the world is heading towards an electric vehicle future.
“Not only are we one of the only countries not to enforce fuel efficiency standards, we are the only nation proposing brand-new punitive taxes on electric vehicles instead of incentives.”
“The unimaginative and cynical approach our politicians have taken to electric vehicles in recent years means Australia is being left behind as the rest of the auto industry zooms ahead.
“We need our politicians to wake up now and start investing in stimulating and encouraging the transition to electric vehicles before it’s too late,” he concluded.
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