Canberra reached a milestone for Zero Emissions Vehicles (ZEV) this month, reaching and registering 5,000 for usage in the Territory.
While naming Zero Emissions Vehicle a ZEV, a battery electric vehicle an EV and a hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicle FCEV, a ZEV isn’t necessarily a passenger car – it could also be a motorcycle or a goods vehicle.
The milestone coincided with the launch of a new cost comparison web tool which will make it easier for people to understand the running costs of ZEVs better.
According to the Minister for Climate Change, Shane Rattenbury, the ACT has the highest number of ZEVs in Australia per capita and has now reached a milestone of more than 5,000 registered in the ACT.
“The number has doubled since this time last year and now one in five newly registered vehicles is a ZEV,” Mr Rattenbury said.
“This demonstrates not only that Canberrans care for our environment and want to do their part to reduce emissions, but also that they have discovered the many benefits that come from owning a ZEV,” he said.
“We have launched a new free cost comparison tool to accurately reflect these benefits and help Canberrans make more informed decisions on whether or not to purchase a ZEV when looking for their next vehicle.”
He said the new tool takes about five minutes to use and allows owners to see at a glance the total cost of ownership of any car model available in Australia over a five-year period.
”It also allows you to compare these costs to other models available on the market,” Mr Rattenbury said.
“While ZEV’s are still typically priced at a premium compared to petrol or diesel alternatives, the reduced operational costs and greater resale value of ZEV’s means that they can cost you less in the long run.”
The ACT Secretary of the Australian Electric Vehicle Association, Darryl Bourke said the Association was pleased to see how enthusiastically Canberrans are embracing electric vehicles.
“Before long, most people will know someone with an EV and this will continue to normalise zero emissions vehicles,” Mr Bourke said.
Mr Rattenbury said new electric vehicle models could go much further than most people think, with the average electric vehicle driving range of new models now between 300 to 600km.
“The average Canberran travels only 40kms per day, so this is more than adequate to meet the needs of many ACT drivers,” Mr Rattenbury said.
