The electric transport revolution races ahead in Newcastle

This is a press release issued by Cities Power Partnership

An electric vehicle showcase will mark the entry point to Hunter Street Mall, adjacent to the racetrack entry, with high performance electric cars available for test rides including the Tesla Model S and X, alongside affordable models such as the Renault Zoe, Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV and Nissan Leaf.

The event is coordinated by the Australian Electric Vehicle Association (AEVA), working with Newcastle City Council and the Climate Council’s Cities Power Partnership.

AEVA vice-chairman David Hiley said that the Supercars showcase is a chance for racegoers and car enthusiasts to get a taste of the performance capability and high-end style of modern electric cars.

“The global market for electric vehicles is racing ahead, with demand for performance models such as the latest Teslas going through the roof. As well as being sustainable and quiet, these cars can outperform most petrol vehicles on the market,” he said.

“Australia’s had a slow start in the global electric vehicle race, but once people have had a chance to experience the capabilities of modern electric cars I believe we’ll see a huge surge. The infrastructure is improving all the time, and as petrol prices soar it’s clear that the future of transport is electric.”

“In a few years I’m sure we’ll even be seeing electric cars tearing down the Supercars track, as electric motorsports take off.”

A recent Climate Council report showed that renewable-powered transport can help to reduce Australia’s worsening transport pollution problem, which saw vehicle greenhouse gas emissions rise by 3.4% during 2017. The report highlighted the role of local government steering their towns and cities away from fossil-fuel driven car culture and driving sustainable transport options.

Newcastle Lord Mayor Nuatali Nelmes said the City of Newcastle is strongly supporting electric vehicle uptake as part of efforts to become a sustainable city.

“As a part of the Climate Council’s Cities Power Partnership program, the City of Newcastle is providing fast-charging infrastructure across the city at key locations to support more electric vehicle journeys, including a fast-charging station already in operation at Wallsend,” said the Lord Mayor.

“Just last week, we turned the sod on the region’s largest solar farm to increase the City of Newcastle’s renewable energy generation capacity tenfold.

“We are building sustainability into everything we do after reiterating our commitment last year to generate 30% of our electricity needs from low-carbon sources and cut overall electricity usage by 30% by 2020.”