Parliamentary inquiry to probe EV transition
House of Reps will take a deep-dive into the pros and cons of Australia’s shift towards electric vehiclesElectric vehicle sales are going gangbusters in Australia, so much so that a new parliamentary inquiry has been launched to explore the necessary resources, systems and infrastructure required for the impending transition away from internal combustion vehicles as well as the impacts of doing so.
The inquiry is being run by the House of Representatives Standing Committee on Climate Change, Energy, Environment and Water in the wake of a 161.1 per cent surge in EV sales in 2023 compared to 2022, and will delve into the nitty-gritty details of an electric transition including:
- The establishment of resources, systems and infrastructure required to support transition to EVs
- The impact of moving from internal combustion engine vehicles, including fuel excise loss, existing auto industry component manufacturers and the environment
- The opportunities for fuel savings, such as by combining EVs with other consumer energy technologies and savings for outer suburban and regional motorists
- The impact on electricity consumption and demand
- The opportunities for expanding EV battery manufacturing, recycling, disposal and safety, and other opportunities for Australia in the automotive value chain to support the ongoing maintenance of EVs
- The impact of Australia’s limited EV supply compared to peer countries and any other relevant matters
Member for Makin Tony Zappia will be the chairperson of the committee and said a key component of the inquiry was to assess the impacts and viability of EVs “in outer regions to make this shift beneficial for everyone”
“The percentage of EVs sold is growing every year, moving to 7.2 per cent of all new cars sold in 2023 up from less than 3 per cent in 2022,” he said.
“The inquiry will consider the necessary resources, systems and infrastructure for this transition and the impacts of moving away from traditional vehicles.
“Our focus will also be on the future of EV battery manufacturing, and we will consider challenges on electricity consumption and demand and our limited EV supply compared to other countries.”
Phase one of the inquiry will include gathering written submissions from both the industry and public, and detailing their views and/or recommendations on any of the above focal points before the committee uses them to inform and shape its own conclusions and recommendations (phase two), which will then be presented to parliament and published online (phase four).
The eventual report will then be an instrumental part of informing future EV-related national strategies and legislations.
Submissions can be made via the committee’s website until March 22.
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