The City of Greater Bendigo has taken delivery of five MG ZS EVs as it works towards its goal of 75 per cent of its light car fleet becoming electric by 2030.
It’s a bold goal when so far in 2021 only 1.57% of all new light vehicle sales have been electric. To put that in perspective, a recent report by the Climate Council that 75 per cent of new car sales by 2030 need to be electric for Australia to achieve net zero emissions by 2035 .
With a recent study suggesting that around 50 per cent of Australians have considered purchasing an electric vehicle, why has the adoption rate remained low? Clearly, something needs to change to remove this adoption barrier with the Climate Council deadline now nine years away.
States and Territories are starting to heed the call; the NSW Government has put forward a $490 million budget initiative encompassing both a $3,000 EV subsidy, a stamp duty rebate and investment into charging infrastructure. Prior to this the Victorian government announced a $3,000 subsidy on new Electric Vehicles and Tasmania has waved stamp duty on new and used electric vehicles purchases. But is it enough?
City of Greater Bendigo Fleet Services Procurement Officer, Richard Lawson, oversees the vehicle replacement scheme, and he believes now is the time for organisations to take proactive action.
“By having the MG ZS EV option in market, suddenly the numbers began to make sense from an investment perspective,” he says.
“It’s a great car, with lots of interior space and comes equipped with plenty of bells and whistles. When it comes to electric vehicles, the pricing is often determined by the battery range. Our analysis proved that the 263km range of the MG ZS EV is more than sufficient for the mileage requirements of our fleet, even in the more rural parts of Bendigo. The warranty was also part of our consideration set,” Mr Lawson said.
A key step for the City of Greater Bendigo has been an analysis of its vehicle usage. 39 per cent of the City’s light fleet cover 30 to 35 kilometres a day; well within the tolerance of an electric vehicle, and similar to the average daily mileage in Australia, which currently stands at just over 36 kilometres a day .
“The two largest barriers to EV adoption in Australia rang true for the City – namely price and range anxiety – but through careful analysis of the market and fleet requirements, we’ve been able to make sensible investments that have seen us begin that process of conversion,” Mr Lawson said.
In Australia, the MG Motor ZS EV is the most accessible electric vehicle on the market, making it the clear choice to form the backbone of Bendigo Council’s fledgling electric vehicle fleet.
As Peter Ciao, CEO of MG Motor Australia, explains: “Australia only gets some of the global electric vehicle options available globally. The Australian market will have low adoption of electric vehicles until manufacturers commit to supplying the models in market.
“That is why we have made a commitment to continue to launch attainable New Energy vehicles here.
“As the City of Greater Bendigo has proven, an electric vehicle will meet the needs of an everyday Australians. MG Motor has a commitment to making electric vehicles accessible for both private and fleet buyers.”
