Call for electric highway in Western Australia
Electric car devotees push for electric highway in Western Australia ABC News, By Claire Moodie 18 Mar 2014, Australia’s first ‘electric highway’ will be rolled out in Western Australia if Perth devotees of the cars have their way.The push is on for a network of charging stations in up to 35 towns in Western Australia’s south west, including the tourist getaway of Margaret River.
It would be a game changer for electric vehicle (EV) owners, many of whom currently think twice about leaving the city.”You can’t just drop into a petrol station,” said Patti McBain, whose converted Ford Focus has a range of about 125 kilometres.”You have to plug in somewhere.”…….
Kirsten Rose of the Sustainable Energy Association says Australia is lagging behind due to the lack of public policy on electric cars.”There is little or no support for getting these cars on the road at the moment,” she said. Ms Rose says Australia needs to follow the lead of the US and Europe and introduce financial incentives, such as rebates, if it is to get up to speed with the benefits of EVs.
The rest of the world is well ahead of us in this game. Motor Trade Association chief executive Stephen Moir “In our cities, air quality and air pollution is an increasing issue and EVs have no emissions so there is a very significant public health benefit that needs to be quantified,” she said.
The Motor Trade Association agrees incentives need to be introduced if electric cars are to move from a niche market into the mainstream. Chief executive Stephen Moir says although prices are falling, the average electric vehicle on the Australian market is about twice the price of its petrol equivalent.
The Electric Vehicle Association says while the upfront costs are high, the running costs are minimal. “Once you’ve bought the electric car or motorcycle, you’re looking at less than three cents per kilometre to drive whereas a petrol-powered car might be something like 12,” Mr Jones said.
“The fact that you can generate your own electricity on your roof for free and charge your car and drive around for free, is a winner.”And they need virtually no maintenance.”http://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-03-18/push-for-an-electric-highway-in-wa/5329442
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