Today will see events heldacross the globe as part ofthe first World EV Day,

including up to 100 electricvehicles gathering at CrownPerth, but Australia’s leadingelectric vehicle body says WA isfailing in its efforts to preparefor widespread EV use.

In its State of ElectricVehicles 2020 report issued lastmonth, the Electric VehicleCouncil awarded WA an Fgrade for its lack of an EVpolicy.

EVC chief executive BehyadJafari said WA had gonebackwards since signing amemorandum ofunderstanding in 2017 todevelop an electric vehiclepolicy and other strategies tosupport EV uptake.

“Since that time, they’ve beensteadily working away on it butit’s been three years and thework is still ongoing,” he said.

“In previous analysis we’vescored WA higher because theywere at least working towardsit, but I think we’ve called timeon that. Other major States andTerritories have their plans inplace and they’ve beenexecuting them for some time;it’s now well past time toactually see that action out ofWA.”

“I’m sure it will eventually

come. When it does land andit’s been executed, we’ll shiftthat score back up. But theyshould have delivered by now.”

The State Governmentdefended its action on EVs, witha Department of Water andEnvironmental Regulationspokesperson saying theWestern Australian ElectricVehicles Working Group wasfinalising an Electric VehicleStrategy for Government whichit expected to release within thenext six months.

“The Western AustralianElectric Vehicles WorkingGroup has been investigating arange of actions to support theuptake of electric vehiclesfocusing on the areas ofcharging infrastructure, fleets,standards and guidelines, andstakeholder awareness,” thespokesperson said, beforeadding there were alreadyinitiatives under way.

“The Western AustralianGovernment is already actingto support the uptake ofelectric vehicles, includinginstalling charginginfrastructure in StateGovernment buildings, makingit easier for Governmentagencies to purchase electricvehicles for their fleets andinstalling and/or supportingthe rollout of fast andmedium-speed chargingstations in Perth and in

regional areas such as Collie,Esperance, Halls Creek, FitzroyCrossing, Warmun andBroome.

“The McGowan Governmenthas also extended buybackpayments as part of the

Distributed Energy BuybackScheme to export energy fromelectric vehicles in the sameway as rooftop solar.”

The spokesperson alsopointed out many Governmententities, including WesternPower and the WaterCorporation were testingelectric vehicles across theiroperations, while a trial ofelectric buses on the JoondalupCAT route will begin in 2022.

However, Mr Jafarimaintained WA was behindother States.

“Look across the other sideof the country, New SouthWales is going through theprocess of making 100 per centof its bus fleet electric,” he said.

“The time for trials haspassed now.”

The Northern Territory andFederal governments were alsodeemed to be failing, while theACT was awarded a B for recentinitiatives including addinghydrogen vehicles to its fleetand testing vehicle-to-gridtechnology with Nissan Leafs.

Mr Jafari said States were inmany respects hamstrung by alack of action at a Federal level.

“A lot of the levers andpolicies required to shift ourmarket are Federal ones; theFederal Government should beleading and the States

complementing policies,” hesaid. “But given that hasn’toccurred, States are having tostep up and fill that gap.”

Mr Jafari said WA’s naturalresources meant it was in aparticularly good position tocapitalise on EV growth,claiming the issue was cloudedby being dragged into the“climate wars”.

“I sometimes joke if theyweren’t a clean energy, we’dhave acted on them justbecause of all the other benefitsthey provide,” he said.

“The whole world shifting toelectric vehicles means theyneed the minerals that are inWA in order to support thattransition — we have quite a lotto gain,” he said, before addingit was a matter of when, not if,EVs would become the norm.

“This is the way we’re going,”

he said.“Doing nothing means that it

will happen here about 10 yearslater than other developedmarkets.

“We’ve got some really brightcompanies doing things likebuilding charginginfrastructure, developingsoftware and tools for electricvehicles.

“A lot of companies wouldlike to go down the value chainof building the batteries andbattery managementcomponents to help us reallytake advantage of some ofthose natural benefits andcompetitive advantages we havehere.

“If we take up EVs 10 yearsafter everyone else, all of thatgoes away — it would be liketrying to start Facebook here ifwe didn’t have the internet.”

Time for some bright sparksThe State cops an F grade for its EV policybut the Government says it’s acting now

Charginginfrastructure

needs to beexpanded.

WA sites such as Mineral Resources' Wodgina project already mine the lithiumneeded for EV batteries. Picture: Mineral Resources

‘We’ve got somereally brightcompanies doingthings.’ Behyad Jafari

SAM JEREMIC

Electric Vehicle Council chiefexecutive Behyad Jafari.

Wednesday, September 9, 2020 COVER STORY WestWHEELS 3

With its seeminglyendless road networkcutting through vast,

desolate areas, WA wouldappear to be one of the moredifficult places to own anelectric vehicle.

Gemtek Group director andTesla Roadster owner FlorianPopp admits range anxietyremains the number oneconcern among people he talksto. But he also has a prettyconvincing argument up hissleeve.

“I’ve crossed the Nullarbor inan electric car,” he said.

Mr Popp, who is also a

He bought his Roadster in2017 to compete in the 2018-19Targa West rally.

A Tesla Model 3, meanwhile,took out the Targa 130 categoryat the Targa South West atPemberton last month.

Mr Popp said it wasimportant car and motorsportenthusiasts realised theywouldn’t be left behind in ashift to EVs — in fact, it couldhelp prolong their favouritecars’ lives via converting toelectric.

“We’re not just preachinghippy and green,” he said.

“That’s why we do the Targaevents: it’s actually engagingwith the car guys in a positiveway and it’s a good place toengage with the TAFEs and theelement of people who are carenthusiasts, the motorsportguys. There are so many greatcars in WA, instead of doing aswap, you could chuck anelectric motor in it and it addsyears of life.”

“It’s more a cultural shift,hearts and minds. We all thinkwe’re driving to Exmouth —we’re not. We probably drivethere once a year, or once everythree years.

People drive a LandCruiser to

go pick up the kids from schoolevery day: do we really need tobe driving these big 4WDseverywhere? Probably not.”

Mr Popp also stressed EVownership didn’t have to be allabout environmental concern.

committee member of theAustralian Electric VehicleAssociation’s WA branch andhelped organise Perth’s EVevent being held at Crowntoday, says despite work beingneeded to address powersystems and EV servicing inregional areas, the feedback hehas received indicates EVs canbe an option for more than justcity dwellers.

“The reality, is even inregional areas, the local trafficdoesn’t drive to Perth everyday; they drive into town andback home,” he said. “Theactual mechanics of it are therealready, it’s possible to drive anelectric car anywhere.

Electric dreams WA’s vast expanses aren’t the obstacle many imagine for cars that shun fossil fuel

Florian Popp’s Tesla Roadster in the Targa rally. Picture: Tim Allott

SAM JEREMIC