Canberra announced on Sunday February 5 that it would introduce energy efficiency standards for its thermal cars for the first time. On average, a new Australian car uses 40% more fuel than a European car. It is one of the only advanced economies, along with Russia, that has not yet implemented these standards.
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Savings at the pump of up to 1000 Australian dollars per year, more choice in models and less air pollution. These are the arguments that Climate Change Minister Chris Bowen put on the table to convince households. According to his calculations, the new standards would avoid 369 million tonnes of carbon emissions by 2050.
To reassure fans of SUVs, 4x4s and utes (For utility, a mix between a coupe and a utility vehicle that Australians are very fond of), the minister added that the choice would always be theirs. In other words, they will therefore be able to continue to drive fuel-intensive vehicles. But they will necessarily cost much more. The text in fact provides for fines for those who do not respect these standards. The new law will come into force in 2025 and will, according to the authorities, prevent families and businesses from spending billions of dollars.
The government is counting on this price gap to push consumers to turn to electric vehicles. Less popular but also less accessible, they represented only 4% of sales in 2022.