Australia’s peak automotive representative organisations have agreed on positions and pathways they say are critical to achieving a “considered and practical” transition to an electrified national motor vehicle fleet.
During an industry summit, the organisations, representing thousands of businesses from all sectors of the automotive industry, developed and agreed to more than 25 principles including:
- Embracing the electrification of the Australian motor vehicle fleet
- “Mandating CO2 targets, not electric vehicle (EV) targets”
- Supporting the federal government in “developing a national zero and low emission vehicle (ZLEV) electrification transition strategy”
- Considering the entire registered vehicle fleet and the “needs and requirements of Australians who own and operate them”
- Maintaining the safety, security, service, repair, and efficiency of the existing internal combustion engine (ICE) fleet
- Opposing the introduction of bans that “limit consumer choice and remove options for meeting car owners’ needs and Australia’s emission reduction targets”
- Ensuring government targets and milestones are “ideally federally led (or at least nationally consistent), are realistic, supported by facts and sound qualitative data, and applied to an Australian context”
During the summit, organisation leaders discussed comprehensive global and domestic data analysis on the future production and delivery of ZLEVs past 2030 (particularly as it relates to the Australian market); the use and impact of targets, milestones, incentives, subsidies, and penalties; jobs and skills; tariffs and taxation; fuel standards and security; legacy fleet management and maintenance; and awareness and education.
“Over the coming weeks, the automotive organisations will engage with stakeholders, governments, and communities and share critical data and information to better balance discussion and partner with the Commonwealth Government to plan the actions necessary to reduce motor vehicle-sourced CO2 and GHG emissions,” the consortium of organisations said.
The organisations which put their name to the announcement are:
- The Australian Automotive Aftermarket Association (AAAA)
- The Australian Automotive Dealer Association (AADA)
- The Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries (FCAI)
- The National Automotive Leasing & Salary Packaging Association (NALSPA)
- The Motor Trades Association of Australia (MTAA)
- The Motor Traders’ Association of New South Wales (MTA NSW)
- The Victorian Automotive Chamber of Commerce (VACC)
- The Motor Trades Association of Queensland (MTAQ)
- The Motor Trade Association of South Australia and Northern Territory (MTA SA/NT)
- The Motor Trade Association of Western Australia (MTA WA)