Why the Word on the Street is ‘Electric’

By Nicola Saltman on June 22, 2016 in News

Let’s face it, we are a plug-in society. Plug in your laptop to connect to the world. Plug in earphones to escape it. Plug in to communicate, entertain and cook. So why not plug in to drive too?

While we may still be galaxies away from George Jetson’s flying car, plug-in electric vehicles (EVs) are gaining huge popularity on our roads. Globally, it’s estimated that around half a million will be sold this year alone, compared to only a handful a few years ago. The recent launch of Tesla’s Model 3 proves the growing interest, with 325 million pre-orders in the first week.

The spark is strong in Australia too, with EVs expected to represent almost half of new car sales by 2030. And the Eastern Suburbs is tipped to be a hotspot. In a recent Council survey of over 400 locals from Woollahra, Randwick and Waverley, 65 per cent of respondents said they’d consider buying an EV.

Soon we’ll be spoilt for choice. Every major car maker has either introduced or is developing EVs. Even the tech giants like Apple and Google are vying for some skin in this game.
So what’s the big deal? Let’s cruise through the three top reasons why your next set of wheels should be an EV…

1. Good for the hip pocket
An EV’s running costs (3c/km) are less than half those of conventional cars (around 10c/km), saving an average household a couple of thousand dollars each year in fuel. Plus there’s the bonus of lower maintenance costs (30 per cent) due to fewer moving parts.

For electric car owner Pip Willis from Clovelly, “the fact that it is much cheaper to run and almost service free” made it a very easy purchase decision. Sweeter still, the upfront costs are starting to match petrol guzzlers.

2. Quiet and easy
Move aside revheads, EVs are blissfully noise-free. According to Gail Broadbent from Queens Park, “electric driving is so quiet and smooth, it’s like gliding”. Plus it’s super convenient to charge up. Ms Broadbent “would never go back to an ordinary car – recharging overnight at home is so easy and cheap”.

3. Good for the planet
Transport is responsible for almost one-quarter of emissions in the Eastern Suburbs, and the main cause of air pollution in Sydney. And that stinks. Literally. With no air pollutants and the potential to be powered by renewable energy, EVs are driving on the right side of Earth’s future.
“We fell in love with the idea of a car that ran only on sun and wind power,” said Nissan Leaf owner John Blackmore, of Randwick. Even when grid-powered, EVs emit 22 per cent less carbon emissions.

It’s for all these reasons that Waverley Council has invested in two EVs to make its fleet more sustainable and cost-effective. And why, with Randwick and Woollahra councils, we’re working to make the region EV-ready, with research into public charging infrastructure and social attitudes.

You can make buying an electric car your sustainability pledge at www.secondnature.org.au or find out more about electric cars at www.greenvehicleguide.gov.au.