MORE and more people globally are purchasing electric vehicles, prompting the NRMA to call for more infrastructure to be introduced so Australia can make the transition.
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In its latest report, The future is electric, the NRMA has highlighted that the number of electric vehicles rose by 40 per cent globally between 2015 and 2016, with more than two million on the road.
BHP has suggested that this could rise to 140 million by 2035.
NRMA chairman Kyle Loades said there would be many benefits to energy, transport, public health, infrastructure and industry development from the use of electric vehicles, which is why Australia needed to make the investment in infrastructure.
He said it was particularly important for regional Australia.
““Australian consumers are unlikely to commit to mass take up of electric vehicles until they have confidence there are sufficient recharging opportunities,” Mr Loades said.
“Investment in widespread charging infrastructure is an essential frontrunner to electric vehicle take-up, especially in regional areas.”
There are only six non-Tesla DC charging stations in NSW and the ACT, the closest to Bathurst being 240 kilometres away at Sydney Olympic Park.
Bathurst does however have a Tesla electric car recharge station at Abercrombie House, which became available in April this year.
Bathurst Community Climate Action Network (BCCAN) president Tracy Sorensen agreed that more infrastructure needed to be in place for electric vehicles.
“Around the world, electric vehicles are becoming more and more numerous and Australia is very far behind other countries,” she said.
“There will come a significant moment where it goes from a quirky car choice to being a bit more of a necessity.”
BCCAN has surveyed residents to find out whether they would consider purchasing an electric vehicle.
The survey found the barriers to people doing this were the limited distance these vehicles are able to travel and the lack of infrastructure.
Ms Sorensen said all levels of government needed to look at providing infrastructure to encourage the purchase of these vehicles, which will help reduce emissions.
“I think Bathurst, as a car race town and a town so heavily involved in motor racing, could play an important role in popularising electric vehicles,” she said.
BCCAN has also delivered a report to Bathurst Regional Council on the case for electric vehicle racing on Mount Panorama.
The report states that having this kind of racing on the iconic circuit would bring benefits to the community and position Bathurst at the major racing venue for electric vehicles in Australia.
“Electric vehicle racing on the Mount could potentially provide the opportunity to reduce noxious emissions in our community as part of Council’s clean air policy while seeking to attract new technological industries to this region,” the report said.
