Will 2024 be the year of the electric ute in Australia? 2022 was the year of the electric SUV — with the launch of the Tesla Y, the BYD Atto 3, and the refreshed MG ZS EV. 2023 was the year of the affordable car, with the release of the BYD Seal and Dolphin, the launch of the MG4, and the somewhat underwhelming launch of the GWM ORA . Filling each of these niches has raised the penetration rate of electric vehicles in Australia by a couple of points.
12 months ago, the Polestar 2 used to regularly feature in the top 5. In March, only 84 units were sold. Meanwhile, despite being Australia’s most affordable EV, having lowered prices to attract customers, the GWM Ora only got 96 sales. In response, Great Wall has reduced the price by another 10%. This makes the ORA cheaper than a Corolla. Australia’s FCAI is still speaking out against the introduction of fuel efficiency standards. As a protest, both Polestar and Tesla have quit the body.
As many of my correspondents have noted: “People will buy it, just because it is a Toyota!” That’s OK by me — so long as they are driving electric. Stay tuned for positive sales numbers. Just to put this in perspective, Toyota is still emphasising hybrids and claiming that EVs are for short trips only. Does Toyota believe? Probably not yet.Some amusing stories have surfaced on Facebook of people in Australia’s more remote places finding it easier to charge an electric car than to find petrol.
The Queensland government is converting their fleet to electric. At lunch last weekend, a government employee told me that they have 10 electric Konas available in his department. He said that at first the staff were reluctant to use them, but now it is a fight to get an electric rather than drive the petrol cars still available.