Queensland has been named as a hotspot for electric cars, with the state claiming four of Australia’s top 10 suburbs for the next-generation vehicles.
Suburbs in NSW and Canberra also ranked in Australia’s top electric vehicle hubs, with capital cities and beachside suburbs among the most highly represented.
Analysis of vehicle registrations and sales, released by the Australian Automobile Association on Monday, also showed electric cars doubled in popularity over the past year, with experts citing an influx of new models and financial incentives as key drivers behind the trend.
Brisbane took out top spot in the association’s electric car rankings, with 6749 registered by January 31 this year, followed by Canberra with 3017 and the Gold Coast’s 2933.
The Sunshine Coast and Moreton Bay regions in Queensland also made the top 10 electric car hotspots, while Sydney, its northern beaches, Ku-ring-gai and the Hills Shire represented NSW and the Melbourne suburb of Boroondara earned a place on the list.
The ACT led Australia in electric vehicle sales, however, with the cars making up 21.3 per cent of vehicles sold in the June quarter, followed by Tasmania (9.98 per cent) and Victoria (9.71 per cent).
Electric vehicle uptake trailed in the Northern Territory, where electric cars made up 2.28 per cent of new car sales.
RACQ public policy head Michael Kane said the registration and sales figures showed Queenslanders were increasingly embracing electric vehicle technology.
Dr Kane said the federal government’s fringe benefits tax cut and Queensland’s market-leading electric vehicle rebate had helped more drivers swap cars, in addition to greater competition in the local market.
“Over the past 12 months there’s been an influx of new electric vehicle models on the Australian market, driving down prices through competition,” he said.
“These things will continue to make EVs more affordable for motorists who want to drive cleaner and safer cars.”
In July, the Queensland government raised its rebate on the purchase of new electric vehicles from $3000 to $6000 for households with a taxable income under $180,000 a year.
While the NT recorded the least electric vehicle sales, the territory registered the highest number of hybrid car sales in the country at 8.98 per cent during the June quarter.
Automobile Association of the Northern Territory chief executive Bron Stephens said the trend was not surprising and showed Territorians remained concerned about the availability of charging stations.
“NT consumers seem to be responding to incentives to buy cleaner vehicles but range anxiety and concerns over charging infrastructure has made hybrid sales much stronger than EV sales,” she said.
“We have unique conditions in the NT and we know EVs are less popular in areas where long drives are common, charging infrastructure is sparse, and utes are more popular.”
Jennifer Dudley-Nicholson
(Australian Associated Press)
