Are we ready for an electric vehicle boom? This EV has 200,000 reservations
As the world continues to move away from fossil fuels and towards renewable energy, electric vehicles (EVs) continue to grow in popularity. While Tesla may be front of mind for many, Ford’s first electric ute has proven so popular the company has had to close reservations as they have surpassed 200,000.
Australia still trails much of the developed world in the uptake of EVs, as we do in terms of emissions. One report found us ranked dead last in terms of the maturity of our EV market, finding just 20-30 models of electric cars are available for purchase throughout the country, despite over 400 being available worldwide.
The same report found that only 1% of vehicles sold throughout Australia are electric, with government policies criticised for falling far below others across the globe.
Some nations, such as the Netherlands and the UK, have committed to make the switch to 100% EVs, phasing out petrol car sales by 2030. The Australian government estimates that we will have roughly 1.7 million EVs on our roads by the end of the decade, however it is our state leaders who are pushing for a stronger target.
The New South Wales government made the strongest stand for EVs under former premier Gladys Berejiklian, committing to slash emissions by 50% from 2005 levels by the year 2030 in an announcement earlier this year.
The state government announced plans to ensure 50% of new vehicle sales by the year 2030 would be electric. Part of the NSW policy aimed to subsidise EVs, invest in infrastructure such as charging stations, and support manufacturing of vehicles locally where possible.
Despite state interest, EV infrastructure around Australia is still lacking, at least for the time being. Our network of charging stations around the country consists of just 3,000 public chargers, according to the EV council.
The world’s largest EV charging network is China, whose addition of a further 240,000 public chargers throughout this year alone takes their total to over one million.
New electric cars hitting the market
Although Tesla is heralded by many as the biggest electric car player in the game, it's far from the only manufacturer offering a vehicle to the market, with more and more EVs becoming available each year.
Ford is the latest big winner in the EV market, with its new F-150 Lightning ute hitting 200,000 reservations before the vehicle even goes into production. Each interested customer had to deposit a refundable $100 down-payment to save their spot in the queue, and Ford were forced to close orders due to fears it simply wouldn’t be able to keep up with demand.
Despite the strong interest, Ford only plans to produce around 15,000 models of the vehicle next year as it begins production, before churning out a more impressive 160,000 a year by 2025. Those with reservations may be forced to wait for their vehicle, with the company estimating a three-year wait list before it can fulfil every order.
Ford is just one of a number of manufacturers expecting big EV launches in the coming years, with the shift towards electric cars encouraging the majority of auto companies to release offerings in the market.
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