Under the Queensland’s Zero Emission Vehicle Strategy 2022-2032, the Queensland Government committed $45 million to a rebate scheme which is being offered until funding is exhausted.
The scheme provides a rebate of $3,000 or $6,000 to eligible Queenslanders for eligible new ZEVs.
This rebate is intended to make purchasing entry-level ZEVs more affordable for more households and businesses.
Intending applicants will need to act quickly, as at 21 August 2024, the remaining scheme funding was only $915,000.
For buyers looking for a cheap EV, the GWM Ora Cat Standard Range (310km) has been available for $35,990 drive-away.
However, the price of the mid-spec 2024 GWM Ora Extended Range (400km) has been cut by $2,000 to $36,990 drive-away, only $1,000 more than the cheaper model.
However, buyers on a budget who are aiming at a Tesla could check the listings of used models which now start at just under $30,000.
My own four-year old Tesla Model 3 has completed nearly 90,000 km and I would buy an identical car with confidence.
EV OWNERS GATHER FOR A CUPPA
Some EV owners in Yeppoon gathered at Mulambin Beach last Sunday.
The variety of EVs available now was shown by the cars there: a BYD Atto 3, a Kia Niro, an MG4, an MG ZS, a Tesla Model 3, two Volvo EX30s, one towing a caravan, and a Volvo XC40 Recharge Twin.
One of the cars demonstrated vehicle-to-load (V2L) to boil the kettle for afternoon tea.
The event was notified on the CQ EV Owners and Friends Facebook page.
HOLD THE PHONE
EVs are increasingly resembling mobile phones on wheels in the way they are controlled by their software which, in most cases, can be updated.
Prospective EV buyers need to understand how this is handled in the car they are considering.
A few brands offer no software updates at all.
Others provide updates which must be installed by the service department at the local dealer, usually at no cost.
However, there may or may not be any notification that updates are available.
Many models now offer over-the -air updates which can be downloaded at home by mobile data or wi-fi at the owner’s convenience when notified.
Buyers need to ask whether the car they are considering will be improved by software updates.
If so, how will they be notified about the updates, whether a dealer visit is required or whether it can be downloaded and installed at home.
POWER A POINT FOR AMERICAN BRANDS
There have been numerous reports in the media that US automakers, Ford and GM, are struggling to produce EVs that are competitive with Tesla and Chinese brands.
Lower demand for their cars has resulted in production cuts.
Ford has just announced cancellation of a proposed large SUV and has written off $1.6 billion in development costs.
I suspect there is one unreported factor that has limited the popularity of EVs in the US.
Australia has a 240-volt domestic electricity supply, but the US supply is only 110 volts.
An Australian EV owner can charge from a standard power point at 2 kW which usually provides an adequate overnight charge.
However, in the US a standard power point only delivers 0.9 kW that is inadequate.
A novice US EV owner recently posted on Facebook that her car would take 72 hours to charge to 100 per cent.
EV owners in the US therefore need a dedicated EV charger, possibly connected to a 3-phase supply that is used for clothes dryers in many homes.
Australian EV owners have a distinct advantage with 240-volt power.
I previously suggested connecting both an EV charger and an air conditioner to Ergon Energy Tariff 33 to save energy costs and share installation costs.
Last week, our friendly electrician, Jayke Findlay, took only 30 minutes to connect our air conditioner to our existing Tariff 33 supply that we use for charging our car.
I will provide a progress report when we start using our air conditioner during summer.
TERRIFIC TESLA
Sometimes we are still surprised by our Tesla car.
Last week, for the first time in four years, we saw a notification on the display screen, that the windscreen water level was low and needed a top-up.
One other smart thing we appreciate after every trip is the way the side mirrors fold in automatically at the bottom of the drive before we enter the carport.
We set the location once and now the car does this every time without fail.
If you have any questions, please contact me by email: arthurhunt@ozemail.com.au
