“You’re getting dudded:” Strong fuel efficiency standards could save Australians $11bn

ACT independent senator David Pocock was on the front lawn of federal Parliament House on Tuesday to launch the Recharging Australia Report from Solar Citizens which shows that strong fuel efficiency standards would save Australian households $11.2 billion over five years.

“Australians are currently getting dudded when it comes to the range and price of electric vehicles that are available to us.” said Senator Pocock

“And in large part that is because we don’t have fuel efficiency standards. We’re getting sent the world’s clunkers to Australia and we’re paying the price.” he said.

“$11 billion dollars of savings for Australians over five years if we can get the right fuel efficiency standards in place.”

Senator Pocock went on to highlight the huge positive impact that electric vehicles could have on Australia’s cost-of-living crisis.

“At a time where cost of living is being felt across the country, this is something that policymakers need to get on with. The solutions are there,” said Pocock.

“You look at the direct consequences of having fuel efficiency standards in Europe. There are 20 electric vehicles under $A40,000 that will be saving thousands of dollars in fuel.

“This ute behind us is $A20,000 cheaper in New Zealand. New Zealand have got on and done this. They’ve seen the results. New Zealanders are a saving money, Australians can be saving money.

“I urge the government to listen to the evidence to listen to Australians who want more options who want more affordable electric vehicles and get on with having the right policy in place to unlock this incredible opportunity for Australians.”

Benefits are biggest for regional Australians

The Tuesday event is part of Solar Citizens “Electric Ute Roadshow” which is a community campaign to highlight benefits of affordable electric vehicles for the regions.

The series began in Ballarat Victoria on March 25 and will finish in Wollongong NSW on Sunday, April 2.

“If we fixed fuel efficiency standards in line with European Union, we can get savings of $11.2 billion and that’s $4 billion in the regions,” said Solar Citizens’ Ajaya Haikerwal.

“We’re taking this ute around regional and rural Australia over the next few months and showing that regional Australians can really save the most because they pay more for fuel, they drive further and their cars are older so they have more to learn from this policy.” said Haikerwal

New Zealanders are happy with their fuel efficiency standards

A recent survey in New Zealand found that nearly two thirds of New Zealanders believe that fuel efficiency standards, recently introduced by their government, are “good policy for New Zealand”.