Policies designed to boost electric vehicle take-up are discriminating against hybrids and risk slowing our energy transition, Mitsubishi says.
Current “unfair” policy settings discriminate against hybrid electric vehicles, putting at risk their take up in Australia and slowing the nation’s journey to net zero carbon emissions, Mitsubishi Motors Australia says.
The Japanese vehicle manufacturer, which currently sells the plug-in hybrid electric (PHEV) Outlander and Eclipse Cross in Australia, says in its white paper The Road to Net Zero Emissions, due to be released on Thursday, that subsidies at the state level which give cash handouts to electric-only vehicles are inequitable
Combined with new road-user charges being introduced or already in play, which slug hybrid owners as well as EV drivers for how many kilometres they cover, mean the effect is a doubly unfair, Mitsubishi says.
In New South Wales, Victoria and South Australia, there are $3000 subsidies available or proposed which new car purchasers can claim when buying a battery electric or hydrogen fuel cell vehicle, but plug-in hybrids are not eligible.
Mitsubishi argues PHEVs are much better suited to helping the nation transition to a fully-electric future, given they avoid the “range anxiety” which comes with fully-electric vehicles which suffer from a need for access to charging infrastructure.
Mitsubishi says PHEVs overwhelmingly use electric power for city-based trips, providing the emissions benefit sought, while also being adaptable for longer journeys, and are cheaper, providing a realistic entry point for buyers.
“While PHEVs are classified by the states and territories as an EV variant and offer a range of immediate benefits including access to existing infrastructure and an affordable entry price, emerging Australian state government policies do not support it on an equal footing with the other two main variants: battery electric (BEV) and hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEV),’’ Mitsubishi says.
“This is despite both BEV and FCEV being new or emerging technologies that require
significant infrastructure investment, offering limited utility for Australian drivers, and being unaffordable for many.
“This emerging state-level policy and legislation is creating a patchwork, which further risks the country’s progress, potentially placing Australia’s net-zero goal by 2050 and the planet at risk.’’
Extracted in full from: Mitsubishi says fully-electric vehicles are being unfairly subsidised while hybrids are penalised | NT News
