It’s easy to think cheaper EVs will encourage more people to switch. But new research shows subsidising these vehicles is poor value for money. There’s a better way.
  • tau@aussie.zoneEnglish
    9·
    3 months ago

    It is a fair point that subsidies for the cars have often been benefiting those who could afford the expensive car anyway, but surely their idea of subsidising home and work chargers is also benefiting those with more money. The subsidies would after all be primarily going to those who own a house with enough space to put the charger (i.e. not much luck for renters or apartment owners) and those who have allocated parking at work.

    What is really needed to drive uptake is both cheaper EVs (to the point where they reach price parity with regular cars) and a charging network widespread and obvious enough to give prospective buyers confidence that they can charge even on their less common routes. Significant progress has been made with this, we’ve come a long way from the early days where cashed up people would smugly advise buying a 90+k vehicle to save a few grand on petrol.

    I think promoting electric motorcycles and scooters would be worthwhile too, they’re more affordable, take up noticeably less space and resources, and still provide much of the personal transport requirements of our current road network.

    • No1@aussie.zone
      4·
      3 months ago

      Tax the fuck out of cars/SUVs/trucks based on size and weight.

      How many times do you see just one person in a vehicle?

      Force them into smaller vehicles.

      Also, I"d be terrified riding a cycle/scooter in Sydney 🙁. Maybe that’s an incentive to drive less.

      • Gorgritch_Umie_Killa@aussie.zoneOPM
        3·
        3 months ago

        I like the idea, but its a sure-fire way for a government to get canned. At best you could possibly do a small segment of the most egregious monstrosities on our roads and get away with it as a government. But the more people you tax the fuck out of, the more people will remember it at the ballot box. People can be a depressing bunch a short-sighted, self obsessed cunts.

        • No1@aussie.zone
          3·
          3 months ago

          Yeah, you’re right. I get so frustrated that there seems to be so little progress on anything 😞

    • phant@lemmy.world
      2·
      3 months ago

      I follow the E-moto and scooter space closely, as I really want to swap the petrol bike for electric. I think the gap is much bigger for 2 wheelers than cars. But agreed I would love to see their uptake increase for the reasons you mentioned. There are also a lot of barriers to entry (outside of electric) for the ordinary person to consider a 2 wheeler.

  • Gorgritch_Umie_Killa@aussie.zoneOPM
    6·
    3 months ago

    You know what would really drive EV uptake… cheaper EVs.

    At this point I think we need a State supplied car design book, a bit like NSW did for housing.

    Like some kind of pre-approved powertrain and chassis book that smaller companies can just come along, whack a ‘skin’ and a badge on top and sell. Analogous to Makita/Dewalt type tool but for cars.

    I just don’t understand why theres all these luxury EVs coming into Australia to service the top of the market, but theres near enough no EVs making waves in the low cost car market.

  • MisterFrog@aussie.zone
    2·
    3 months ago

    I don’t want to subsidise EVs.

    The only solution to traffic is viable alternatives to driving, and dumping money onto the people who can already afford an EV is a waste of money that could be spent on better transport.

    • arbilp3@aussie.zone
      2·
      3 months ago

      Electric public transport and/or small businesses with small electric buses and more flexible routes. The latter would be particularly useful for our growing aging popuation.

        • arbilp3@aussie.zone
          1·
          3 months ago

          I did understand what you meant (I think). You mentioned ‘better transport’ and for me that would involve greater investment in public transport and transport that doesn’t just have one person per vehicle but can move groups more flexibly and cleanly. If EVs where to be subsidised it might be worth subsidising people on lower incomes and people in group households (family or otherwise). Subsidising the well-off is just subsidising them for brandishing another status symbol.