South Australia commits $18.3M to jump start uptake of electric vehicles

South Australia’s 2020-21 Budget includes $18.3 million for electric vehicle charging infrastructure and affordability.

Minister for Energy and Mining Dan van Holst Pellekaan cited the two main barriers to electric vehicle uptake consumers found were a lack of charging infrastructure and the availability of affordable models.

The State Government fleet will transition to electric vehicles within it’s existing budget and will call on local government and corporate fleets to do the same. The government hopes this will accelerate the availability of new models.

“This will bring more models into South Australia and deliver a steady stream of affordable used electric vehicles after a few years of use in government and private fleets,” Holst Pellekaan said.

“The transition the State Government fleets will help accelerate public charging infrastructure in the City of Adelaide, at hospitals, schools and transport hubs.”

Headlining the Government’s Electric Vehicle Action plan is also the creation of a state-wide fast charging network for public use.

Holst Pellekaan said the state government spends around $80 million on vehicles and fuel each year. It’s hoped the new policy will progressively shift that spend to electric cars and the use of local clean power.

“As an added bonus, the faster uptake of electric vehicles is modelled to cut household power bills by around $50 by 2025 and $240 by 2030 as more users share the cost of the network,” he said

“Electric vehicles will drive the next wave of power bill savings, whilst meeting our need for speed on climate change and improving air quality.”

South Australia will look to improve the Federal Government’s estimates that EVs will reach 8 per cent by 2025 and 27 per cent by 2030 of new passenger cars. Its Action Plan will aim to make electric vehicles the common choice for new passenger vehicles by 2030, and the default choice by 2035.