Nissan urges government action on CO2 – again

One in every five households reaps the benefits of solar power at home, so Australians are not as adverse to new technology as some have suggested.

But our pioneering, early-adopter image is being tarnished by our reluctance to buy new electric vehicles, according to Nissan Australia boss Stephen Lester, and that’s because governments at state and federal levels are not taking action to combat climate change with clear guidelines and targets.

“We have very little direction coming to the manufacturers,” Lester told carsales during the launch of the new Nissan LEAF e+. “With direction, comes a push I can take away to say, ‘Hey guys, this is coming; we need to be prepared...’

“That’s what developed economies around the world are doing with EVs. This is the piece that I would implore them to do more of here.”

Nissan has previously criticised the federal government’s inaction on EVs on more than one occasion. But there’s little sign that the message is getting through.

“What we need now is strong direction from the government – at all levels – to understand where we want to take the future, and to create the opportunities for consumers to experience and have more choice in their markets,” Lester said.

In the case of Victoria, the government is actively placing hurdles in the way of broader EV acceptance, with a proposed road users’ tax.

Asked about that, Lester said: “It’s in the Victorian government’s hands at this point.

“We’ve expressed our displeasure and frustration with it. Through the EV Council we’ve had some discussions with the government – and we’ll continue to lobby that we don’t think that this is the right decision or choice at this time. We may ultimately have to agree to disagree.

“What we’re very conscious of is that the reality going forward is that we need the government, we need private enterprise or business and we need the OEMs or manufacturers to work together on providing a direction for consumers, for the country, so that we don’t get left behind.

“Right now, we are seen as a country that is not progressive in any of these. We’re progressive in every other way. We’re early adopters of technology; the statistic ... about one in five households having solar already is a staggering stat, relative to other countries around the world.

“So we know we can do it. What’s made solar work has been direction, incentive, plan – and ultimately some execution.

“But it was groups that worked together to get that and move that forward.

“And that’s what we need to do with EVs.”

One of the key factors underpinning the popularity of solar panels has been the short-term amortisation of the set-up costs, with the installation costs paid back very quickly. That is what distinguishes the solar panel analogy from EVs.

But Lester doesn’t fully agree.

“Operating costs are much less with an EV than an ICE [internal combustion engine] vehicle,” he notes, but even that advantage is eroded by a state government imposing a road users’ tax.

“Of course, it does certainly get eroded by it. But if you can utilise [lower running costs] plus V2G [vehicle-to-grid power from the EV to the home] ... how we use our vehicles today versus how we will in the future or down the track can be different. That paradigm can shift.”