BMW blasts government inaction

BMW Australia's General Manager for Corporate Communications, Lenore Fletcher, has recently returned from New Zealand, where the land of the long white cloud is looking forward to a blue-sky future.

Ms Fletcher found the contrast with Australia somewhat dispiriting.

"The end of 2016 marks about eight years in Australia that we've been looking at alternative fuel vehicles…

"In that period of time I've personally been involved in speaking to the powers that be – the government – at federal, state and local level.

"And during that period of time, I have noticed that there has been actually absolutely no advancement in terms of support from government, programmes from government, no real government support for infrastructure going forward. I find that quite disappointing, on the whole, and I think it is something that leaves Australia very much in the wake of many other developed and mature markets around the world."

According to the BMW exec, New Zealand is building a network of electric charging stations from north to south – from Cape Reinga to Invercargill. The network will have grown from its present 20 stations to 40 by the end of this year, and to 100 by the end of 2017.

With DC 'fast charging' light vehicles can recharge to 80 per cent of capacity within 20-30 minutes. New Zealand is also undertaking substantial work rolling out AC charging in metropolitan areas.

"We have always felt that perhaps Australia had stronger infrastructure, stronger technology... than many of our neighbours. This just goes to prove that we're wrong. We're behind; we're behind the eight ball.

"We are behind in terms of getting into low-emissions vehicles, getting into the infrastructure required, getting into incentives."

Ms Fletcher had previously worked at Mitsubishi Australia when that company introduced the i-MiEV locally. It lends her a unique perspective on Australia's seemingly apathetic and uncoordinated response to the environment and reducing carbon emissions.

"We are on many committees that are talking about this [electric vehicle] technology; and we will continue to do so, because we believe it's the right thing to do.

"One of the things that we have seen is that countries where there is a strong support for alternative technology the uptake is much higher. It's time Australia got on board and did something about it."

Ms Fletcher is not by any means the first PR person to call for the government's environment minister and associated bureaucrats to get off their collective posteriors, but she has probably endured the status quo longer than most. And subsequently she admitted that she found it embarrassing when travelling overseas for those she has met to point out that Australia was the first country in the world to reverse direction on climate policy.

The occasion for the "rant" was the first local drive of the BMW i3 94Ah (pictured), which addresses much of the concern surrounding the limited range of electric vehicles – so-called 'range anxiety'.

BMW has brought out the larger capacity battery – larger than the car's original 60Amp-hour battery that's still available – at a premium of $2000 over the price of the standard i3.

And for those who fancy driving an i3 around Australia, from service station to service station, thus precluding the need for a network of DC charging stations around the country, the i3 in 94Ah form can still be specified with the 600cm³ motorcycle motor and nine-litre fuel tank to extend the car's range when away from a powerpoint.

Since the i3 arrived here, BMW has sold 254 units – in two years. It's telling that the hybrid i8 from the same stable has sold over 90 units during roughly the same period, which is more than a third of the i3's sales figures, despite being considerably more expensive.

Clearly the problem isn't just a matter of the EV's unconventional looks holding it back. Range anxiety plainly has a part to play, but that impact may be reduced with the introduction of the 94Ah battery.

If the i3 remains too quirky for Australian tastes, there is at least the prospect of the i5, which BMW won't discuss, but is known to be on the way. It will be a full-on rival to Tesla's Model 3, and may just break down that broader buyer resistance to electric vehicles in this market – with or without government support.

Look out for our review of the i3 94Ah tomorrow.