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FCAI marks World EV Day

The Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries (FCAI), the peak body of the automotive industry, has joined with vehicle manufacturers to mark World EV Day, an event which celebrates the dominant vehicle technology of the future.

 In Australia, more and more vehicle owners are choosing to electrify their drive, with electric vehicle (EV) sales climbing as industry takes environmentally friendly strides toward future electric mobility.

In August 2020, 6,694 full electric, petrol-electric hybrids and plug-in hybrids were sold, an increase of 113.9 per cent compared to the same period in 2019. On a year to date basis, 38,390 of these low emission vehicles were sold during August 2020, an increase of 90.1 per cent on the same period in 2019.

August 2020 was also the first time a petrol-electric hybrid was the number one new vehicle sold over any month in Australia’s motoring history. 4,825 Toyota RAV4s were purchased throughout the month, with nine out of 10 buyers choosing the hybrid powertrain over petrol-only models.

As new models from many brands become available to Australian drivers, sales of full electric, petrol-electric hybrids and plug-in hybrids have continued to increase. 2019 saw EV sales triple in Australia, with the rise of EVs continuing in 2020 despite the COVID-19 pandemic.

In July, the FCAI announced a new industry-led reporting system, the FCAI CO2 Emissions Standard, which sets out industry and brand CO2 emissions reduction targets at 2030.

 The Standard aligns with manufacturers’ traditional position of bringing the best possible products, with the latest safety and power-train technologies, to the Australian market.

 FCAI Chief Executive Tony Weber said the industry hopes the first World EV Day will be remembered as a turning point for electric vehicles in this country.

 “The inaugural World EV Day comes at a watershed moment for Australia’s e-mobility,” Mr Weber said.

“Business reports have suggested nearly 60 per cent of Australians are considering an EV for their next vehicle. We are seeing the development of vital EV infrastructure and a rapid increase in acceptance of non-combustion driven powertrains.

“The key to more EVs on our roads is making those vehicles m­­ore appealing to Australian drivers and the FCAI CO2 Emissions Standard creates an incentive for manufacturers to ensure their most advanced EV technology is available Down Under. We’re already seeing the impact. The World’s best electrified vehicles are making their way here, and people are buying them.”

The FCAI CO2 Emissions Standard calculates industry and brand CO2 targets on a sales-weighted average mass per unit basis against sales recorded in VFACTS, the industry data source.

Over the past 15 years, Australia’s automotive industry has achieved strong reductions in vehicle emissions through the research and development investments of parent companies in the United States, Europe and Asia.

As at December 2019, FCAI members had already achieved a 24.9 per cent reduction in emissions from 2005 levels.

For further information of the FCAI CO2 Emissions Standard, go to https://www.fcai.com.au/news/index/view/news/652.

[1] Roy Morgan 2019 “Rising number of Australians looking at Electric and Hybrid vehicles”