AAP Image/Lukas Coch
Federal energy minister Chris Bowen says Australia is not about to start banning Chinese electric vehicle imports, despite calls from the federal Coalition that the country should consider US warnings.
The Biden administration earlier this week flagged that it was considering banning Chinese made EV software for fears that the country would use it to spy on the country by tapping into real time data.
However, most analysts suspect the move is more about protecting the country’s slow moving legacy car-makers GM and Ford, who have fumbled the transition to EVs from further competition. The US has already imposed huge tariffs on Chinese made EVs to protect that industry.
The Coalition has seized on the US concerns. Senator James Patterson, the shadow home minister who has previously raised concerns about Chinese made inverters for solar panels, and Chinese ownership of electricity grids, says an EV ban should be considered.
“Given the serious national and cyber security concerns held by our closest ally about connected vehicles, the Albanese government must urgently explain their own inaction,” he said this week.
“If they agree with the Biden Administration about the risk, they should front up and say why they’ve done nothing about it. This is a problem which only gets harder to fix the longer they delay as more and more of these cars are imported.”
Chinese made EVs now dominate the electric car sector in Australia, either through Chinese owned companies such as BYD, MG and Geely, or through Tesla and Polestar EVs which are also made in China. More China brands including Zeekr, Xpeng, Chery and LeapMotor and the Chinese made Smart are also entering the market.
But Bowen said there would be no ban.
“We won’t be banning vehicles made in any particular country,” he told journalists on Thursday.
“We’ll continue to work with all the relevant agencies to ensure that all are necessary arrangements in place. But I want Australians have more choice of vehicles to buy, not less, more choice.
“We’re seeing a big improvement in range available to Australians. Range of choices, cars available to Australians. You’re going to see much more of that in the next few years as we introduce new vehicle efficiency standards.
“You’re going to see more in the next few weeks with some announcements coming from manufacturers. I’ll leave them to make about new vehicles that are going to be available in Australia.
“That involves choices for Australians so I want Australians to have maximum range of choice as to what vehicles they buy. We won’t be reducing that choice.”
Find all available EV options on our EV Models page and the latest sales data here.
Giles Parkinson is founder and editor of The Driven, and also edits and founded the Renew Economy and One Step Off The Grid web sites. He has been a journalist for nearly 40 years, is a former business and deputy editor of the Australian Financial Review, and owns a Tesla Model 3.
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View Comments
Quite right too.
With no local manufacturers to protect there is simply no excuse for banning any car maker, from anywhere.
Cyber security is a different issue.
Australia is sadly just another fashion victim.
It don't mean a thing if it ain't got that bling.
[edit malfunction]
Canada, which makes no EVs, imposed tariffs to protect "future" jobs!
Yeah, ban tequila, we'll grow our own cactus.
Unfortunately we already have viticulturists who are diversifying to growing Agave for Tequila. Just what we need, another source of exotic weeds just to produce an unnecessary consumer product.
Correct. We talk a lot of hot air about biosecurity while constantly searching for, and importing, a new improved cane toad.
Got varroa mites?
Try this bug from Brazil.
How about stopping foreign tankers from discharging their ballast and bilge water into our harbours?
Talk about biosecurity. That's all we do.
Quarantine has become a dirty word and is seen as an impediment to the greatest god of all. Trade.
At this rate Australia will look like Easter island. Just statues of Malcolm Fraser everywhere. Then we can rename it Fraser Island 2.0.
I don't agree with a ban, but there does need to be more focus put on security and integrity of connected cars in general.
Everyone sees the pretty features like smartphone apps, but doesn't consider how much data they are sending back to the manufacturer with every drive.
MG for example seems to treat it's infotainment and tbox updates as state secrets.
They aren't giving you free 4g connections for the sake of it. If you aren't paying for the data, you are the data.
We have the option of intercepting these communications and if we wish imposing rules on what is captured and where it is delivered.
All vehicle details should be available to transport authorities to manage safety and risk data.
There's a reason why the crooks are always one step ahead of plod.
And why not start with the Americans, surely with much form on untrustworthiness. Sure, just like the US F35s here in Australia, that can’t do anything unless ‘phoning home’ … talk about sucked in. Just like spending zillions on US subs at at time where everyone’s now doing drones. But sure, let’s just blame China.
Careful! America is sensitive to criticism and Australia has a short but rich history of licking their boots.
Remember their blatant policy. You are either with us or......................
But WE control the mobile network so we need to put the risk in perspective. Would we buy EV tanks from China? No. But China disabling my future Leapmotor T03 won't change the course of any conflict.
The Dahua CCTV that are everywhere in our home and business security systems is probably more of a concern.
I'm shocked, shocked, that the COALition, who have the full lobbying support of Toyota and the Australian Institute of Petroleum as well as the Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries (FCAI) would try to ban EVs 😬
Now you're getting the hang of it!
but how many 12yo do you think are visiting this site? No real need to appeal to them with emojis.
Probably the same COALition that wants nuclear and fracking gas to fill the gaps when the sun don't shine and the wind don't blow.
That would be the same COALition that could have vetoed the NT Liberals handing the Darwin Port to China for 99 years.....but didn't. They didn't have any security/military concerns then - even when the ADF did!
This pandering to China (thanks for the pandas) has gone too far. Kevin Rudd deserves a lot of the blame.
Europe is now regretting its decision to treat Russia as a reasonable global partner. Putin watched Gorbachev and Yeltsin with murder in his eyes.
Sorry, what were we talking about?
Seems it would help to understand China that you have failed to grasp
What has happened to Tesla plans to sell EV vehicle intelligence to the world?
What has happened to Coca Cola plans to sell awesome tasting beverages to the world? ..... people were also asking in 1896!
Australia could do what China did to TESLA, from memory when Tesla started production of vehicles with multiple cameras. China enforced a condition initially that no such Teslas were allowed close to any locations the Chinese classified as having national security value, plus no data collected from such vehicles could leave the country.
Ok, so there’s a security risk of having your vehicle made in a rival country which maintains software and communications with it. No point denying that.
But, check the back of your phone, it’s probably made in China or uses components from there. Check the underside of your wifi router, it’s probably made in China by a Chinese company. My workplace supplies computers made by a Chinese company in China. If China already has access theoretically to all your internet traffic, is your car really going to give them much extra?
Even in an internet connected car you have the option of taking the SIM card out if you really want. But if China ever did use this their car brands would lose all trust.
Also.. if there was a war between the west and China there would be pretty rapid disruptions to fuel supplies. Australia is a massive importer of refined fuel from south east Asia. Your perfectly secure I.C.E. car might be stranded very quickly.
Just don't connect your vehicle to the internet. No data leakage then. Problem solved
It probably won't run.
What do you think a web and net are for?
Most if not all EV's will run quite well without an internet connection, internet is used for OTA software updates and at least in my Volvo I get to choose whether to upgrade or not. I also let Volvo have my usage data as it probably help development.
I admire your confidence Tom.
You obviously live in a world where hackers don't exist and nobody can insert a bomb into thousands of battery operated devices.
I wish i lived there.
Whats the postcode of Utopia?
The coalition is trying to insert a bomb into thousands of battery operated minds!
Technology offers the promise of freedom. Reality begs to differ. An electric light? Upside?Obliterates the terror of darkness. Downside? Attracts a host of unwanted bugs.
The unfettered advancement of technology (hello nuclear bombs!) got us into this mess. Expecting science to solve our problems is just more evidence, if any was needed, of our stupid barbarism.
“Given the serious national and cyber security concerns held by our closest ally about connected vehicles, the Albanese government must urgently explain their own inaction,” Senator James Patterson, the shadow home minister.
Having the US as an enemy is dangerous - having them as a friend is a disaster. All they do is drag us into their never ending wars and now they want us to ban Chinese EVs simply because US legacy auto industry is arrogant and incompetent. Memo to Senator Patterson - "Know when you're being played".
Bob Dylan mentioned Patterson in his 'hurricane' song. In a proper 'careful what you wish for' event, at the retrial granted because of the publicity Rueben Carter had his sentence extended.
Things turned out better for NM after the Specials 'free Nelson Mandela'
James Patterson, the shadow home minister.
Six words that, on their own, are just a collection of nonsense. Does he minister to shadow homes? Did Stephen King write a novel about it?
Australia like most countries has always needed the US, but like most countries always been free not partake if we so choose. We are the world's best democracy. My own opinion is we should ditch the US if they elect the Big Orange Bullshitting Felon again!
You couldn't be more wrong. Show me one country that having embraced the US has successfully ditched them. (Hello American Samoa and numerous others)
You might as well try to eliminate cockroaches from the planet.
The Philippines tried for a while until junior got elected.
It's all about fear.
Australia is just another gutless country that refuses to grow up.
New Zealand, about the same size as England and Victoria, has more integrity than us.
'swamped by asians'???
You'll probably sell your fish and chip shop to them love!
So do the Chinese want to know where I work or go shopping or socialise with?
What is all this data they are gathering?
Nobody can help, you must undertake this arduous journey alone.
(I'm waiting for the estate trustees of James Earl Jones to confirm that I can use AI for the voice-over. If they refuse I'll do it anyway. Sosumi.)
This is complete rubbish because half of the equipment that goes into a BMW or a Mercedes is made in China. If we are worried about spying we have to consider banning everything electronic that's made in China including TV'S phones. Computers and more.