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https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2025/mar/26/coalitions-potential-rethink-on-ev-rules-could-make-fuel-guzzling-utes-and-suvs-an-election-issue>
"Australia’s love-hate relationship with fuel-guzzling utes and SUVs is now a
looming election issue, after the Coalition indicated it may rethink Labor’s
vehicle emission standard.
On Tuesday the shadow transport minister, Bridget McKenzie, called Labor’s
vehicle emission standard “poorly designed” and said the Coalition will have
“more to say” about it when the opposition releases its own transport policy
before the election.
Labor’s new vehicle efficiency standard (NVES), which became law on 1 January,
enforces an emissions maximum for each car manufacturer, with a penalty for
every gram of emissions over the target.
The standard was designed to encourage carmakers to release more green vehicles
on to Australia’s market, with more competition to drive down the price for
consumers. And the Electric Vehicle Council (EVC) says the standard is already
working.
More than 120 electric vehicles are now available in Australia as the new laws
upend the nation’s status as a “dumping ground” for big, polluting cars. Prior
to January Australia was the only OECD country without a vehicle emission
standard.
The obsession with big cars is not only fuelling the climate crisis, it is
making roads deadlier and adding to traffic congestion. And there are other
costs – Australians spend on average almost $100 a week on fuel.
But the Coalition is set to make the standard an election issue."
Cheers,
*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
