It’s easy to think cheaper EVs will encourage more people to switch. But new research shows subsidising these vehicles is poor value for money. There’s a better way.
It is a fair point that subsidies for the cars have often been benefiting those who could afford the expensive car anyway, but surely their idea of subsidising home and work chargers is also benefiting those with more money. The subsidies would after all be primarily going to those who own a house with enough space to put the charger (i.e. not much luck for renters or apartment owners) and those who have allocated parking at work.
What is really needed to drive uptake is both cheaper EVs (to the point where they reach price parity with regular cars) and a charging network widespread and obvious enough to give prospective buyers confidence that they can charge even on their less common routes. Significant progress has been made with this, we’ve come a long way from the early days where cashed up people would smugly advise buying a 90+k vehicle to save a few grand on petrol.
I think promoting electric motorcycles and scooters would be worthwhile too, they’re more affordable, take up noticeably less space and resources, and still provide much of the personal transport requirements of our current road network.
I like the idea, but its a sure-fire way for a government to get canned. At best you could possibly do a small segment of the most egregious monstrosities on our roads and get away with it as a government. But the more people you tax the fuck out of, the more people will remember it at the ballot box. People can be a depressing bunch a short-sighted, self obsessed cunts.
I follow the E-moto and scooter space closely, as I really want to swap the petrol bike for electric. I think the gap is much bigger for 2 wheelers than cars. But agreed I would love to see their uptake increase for the reasons you mentioned. There are also a lot of barriers to entry (outside of electric) for the ordinary person to consider a 2 wheeler.
It is a fair point that subsidies for the cars have often been benefiting those who could afford the expensive car anyway, but surely their idea of subsidising home and work chargers is also benefiting those with more money. The subsidies would after all be primarily going to those who own a house with enough space to put the charger (i.e. not much luck for renters or apartment owners) and those who have allocated parking at work.
What is really needed to drive uptake is both cheaper EVs (to the point where they reach price parity with regular cars) and a charging network widespread and obvious enough to give prospective buyers confidence that they can charge even on their less common routes. Significant progress has been made with this, we’ve come a long way from the early days where cashed up people would smugly advise buying a 90+k vehicle to save a few grand on petrol.
I think promoting electric motorcycles and scooters would be worthwhile too, they’re more affordable, take up noticeably less space and resources, and still provide much of the personal transport requirements of our current road network.
Tax the fuck out of cars/SUVs/trucks based on size and weight.
How many times do you see just one person in a vehicle?
Force them into smaller vehicles.
Also, I"d be terrified riding a cycle/scooter in Sydney 🙁. Maybe that’s an incentive to drive less.
I like the idea, but its a sure-fire way for a government to get canned. At best you could possibly do a small segment of the most egregious monstrosities on our roads and get away with it as a government. But the more people you tax the fuck out of, the more people will remember it at the ballot box. People can be a depressing bunch a short-sighted, self obsessed cunts.
Yeah, you’re right. I get so frustrated that there seems to be so little progress on anything 😞
I follow the E-moto and scooter space closely, as I really want to swap the petrol bike for electric. I think the gap is much bigger for 2 wheelers than cars. But agreed I would love to see their uptake increase for the reasons you mentioned. There are also a lot of barriers to entry (outside of electric) for the ordinary person to consider a 2 wheeler.