Fuel emissions standards have been put firmly on the government's agenda as it tries to accelerate the sluggish uptake of electric cars in Australia.
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Climate Change and Energy Minister Chris Bowen will use a speech to a major EV summit in Canberra on Friday to argue "now is the time" to consider fuel emissions standards as it starts developing the first national electric vehicles strategy.
Australia is a global laggard on electric vehicles, EVs accounting for only about 2 per cent of new car sales.
Clean energy advocates and progressive politicians have been pushing hard for fuel standards, which are seen as crucial to increase the supply of EVs into the country and to avoid Australia becoming a "dumping ground" for older cars.
Australia and the Russia are the only nations in the 38-member OECD which either don't have or aren't planning to introduce mandatory standards for the efficiency of new cars.
Advocates say that means manufacturers have no incentive to ship their electric vehicles to Australian shores, instead increasing the prospect of older, dirtier and less efficient models being dumped into the local market.
A recent Australia Institute report found motorists could have saved a combined $5.9 billion at the bowser had standards been introduced six years ago, as more efficient cars require less fuel to travel the same distance.
Introducing emissions standards was not part of Labor's pitch at this year's election, after former prime minister Scott Morrison attacked them as a "carbon tax on cars" when Bill Shorten took the idea to the 2019 ballot.
But Mr Bowen signalled after the May election the new government was open to considering the idea, amid intensifying pressure from advocates and "teal" independents.
The Greens and independents Monique Ryan and Kylea Tink are planning to use the inaugural National Electric Vehicle Summit in Canberra on Friday to push the government to introduce new fuel standards.
"The introduction of these standards will cost us nothing but will ensure manufacturers supply a greater range of affordable EVs to our market to balance imports of carbon-emitting vehicles," Dr Ryan said.
Ms Tink plans to push the federal government to legislate fuel-efficiency standards, putting Australia on a path to no new fossil fuel-powered cars by 2035.
"Today, we are calling on Minister Bowen to jump in the driver's seat and accelerate the clean-up of our cars," Ms Tink said ahead of the summit.
Telsa chair Robyn Denholm, tech billionaire Mike Cannon-Brookes and COP26 president Alok Sharma are among the heavy-hitters scheduled to speak at the summit.
In his speech to the summit, Mr Bowen will argue the time is right for an "orderly and sensible" discussion about the standards.
"To me, this is ultimately about choice. Freedom of choice. And policy settings are denying Australians real choice of good, affordable, no-emissions cars," Mr Bowen will tell the summit.
"In fact, when asked, more than one-in-two people said they would consider buying electric for their next vehicle - but the actual number of cars sold shows there are serious barriers which need to be addressed.
"We believe that now is the time to have an orderly and sensible discussion about whether vehicle fuel-efficiency standards could help improve the supply of electric vehicles into the Australian market, to address the cost-of-living impacts of inefficient cars, and to reduce emissions from the transport sector."
A discussion paper will be released shortly as the government starts consultation on a national electric vehicles strategy.
The government has already introduced legislation to scrap fringe benefits taxes and import tariffs on cheaper electric vehicles.
It's so-called Driving the Nation plan also includes establishing a national EV charging network and setting a target of having 75 per cent of new Commonwealth fleet leases and purchases being low-emissions vehicles by 2025.