Chris Bowen EV Summit
There are now strong calls for Australia to urgently match US vehicle emissions standards to avoid Australia becoming an even bigger dumping ground for polluting petrol and diesel vehicles. The Biden Administration overnight confirmed the US government will dramatically tighten vehicle emissions limits on all vehicles from passenger cars to large trucks. The new regulations on manufacturers could lead to 67 per cent of all new vehicles sold in the US being electric by 2032. “The stakes cannot be higher,” US EPA Administrator Michael Regan said. “We must continue to act with haste and ambition to confront the climate crisis and to leave all our children … a healthier and safer world.” The US joins the world’s other two major car markets China and the European Union who are also moving aggressively to phase out health and planet wrecking diesel and petrol vehicles. Australia remains a laggard alongside Russia as one of only two developed countries in the world that are yet to enforce vehicle emissions standards.
Delays are no longer acceptable
“The US first introduced fuel efficiency standards into law in the 1970s and has been strengthening them since then. In 2023, Australia has a discussion paper about them. It’s ridiculous,” said Electric Vehicle Council chief executive Behyad Jafari. “We know the federal government has been slowly working on a new EV policy. This move in the US means the buzzer has sounded. The time for talk is done, we know the action we need to take, so let’s introduce strong new fuel efficiency standards now.” The Australian government recently took submissions on its National Electric Vehicle Strategy. Over 400 submissions were made with the overwhelming majority calling on the Australian government to implement strong vehicle emissions standards urgently. While the federal government is currently working on the NEVS, some observers believe that rather than taking immediate steps on emissions standards, the government may put out yet another consultation specifically around vehicle emissions standards which would drag the process out even longer. Jafari warned that the US announcement puts huge pressure on Australia to act fast. “This shift in position from the US is of monumental consequence to Australia,” Mr Jafari said.
“Car companies will now be racing to meet the more stringent standards set in the US, Europe, China, and even New Zealand.
“If they continue to see Australia as the odd nation out, they will prioritise all other markets for their latest and best EVs. Australia will be dumped with their outdated gas guzzlers because it will be one of the only markets where there will be no consequences for doing so.”
Delays worsen the climate crises and will have devastating health impacts
Every day that vehicle emissions standards are delayed results in more greenhouse gas emissions, increasing atmospheric carbon dioxide levels which is accelerating the world towards climate catastrophe.
Delays also results in higher rates of petrol and diesel exhaust pollution in Australian cities which recent studies have proven have devastating health impacts on Australian families.
A world-first study published in February showed that exposure to diesel exhaust pollution can dull human brains within hours.
Another study published last month showed that in addition to 12,000 cardiovascular hospitalisations, 66,000 active asthma cases, and almost 7,000 respiratory hospitalisations, petrol and diesel exhaust pollution could cause more than 11,000 premature deaths per year in Australia.
That’s about ten times more deaths than road accidents cause in Australia each year.
And it’s not just air pollution, another study of 240,000 people recently linked the noise from petrol and diesel vehicle traffic to elevated hypertension and cardiovascular disease.
A chorus of groups now calling for strong standards
The US government’s announcement comes as a growing number of groups call for the Australian government to act immediately.
This week 151 Australian Mayors and Councillors signed a joint statement calling on the federal government to legislate vehicle emission standards as a matter of urgency.
“We urge the Federal Government to support our access to electric vehicles by legislating strong fuel efficiency standards.” said local government officials in the joint statement.
The seismic shift in US policy also comes as The Australia Institute released a report showing that despite commitments from Australian state governments, electric buses make up just 0.2% of Australia’s bus fleet.
Vehicle emission standards will save Australians thousands of dollars
The US government’s new vehicle emission standards will save Americans trillions of dollars in health and fuel costs and avoid nearly 10 billion tons of emissions.
“While Australia sits on the starter’s grid in the conversation about fuel efficiency standards, the USA is further tightening their standards to help save drivers more than a trillion US dollars in fuel costs, drive down emissions, and increase the availability of affordable electric vehicles,” said Climate Council Head of Advocacy, Dr Jennifer Rayner.
Senator David Pocock also recently added his voice to the growing calls for action.
“Australians are currently getting dudded when it comes to the range and price of electric vehicles that are available to us,” said Senator Pocock
“And in large part that is because we don’t have fuel efficiency standards. We’re getting sent the world’s clunkers to Australia and we’re paying the price,”
“$11 billion dollars of savings for Australians over five years if we can get the right fuel efficiency standards in place.” said Pocock.
Decision makers must stand up to the polluting vehicle manufacturers and the fossil fuel industry’s relentless attempts to slow the world’s transition to electric vehicles.
Strong vehicle emissions standards will help limit the impacts of dangerous climate change, provide desperately needed relief to cost of living pressures and improve the health of all Australians.
It’s time for the Australian government to get on with it.
Keyword: “Time for talk is done:” Australia urged to follow US vehicle emissions standards