Canberrans racing towards a zero emissions future in transport

New 2023 registration data for the ACT shows almost one in five cars registered is a zero emissions vehicle (ZEV).

Since January this year, almost 900 new ZEVs have hit Canberra roads. ZEV registrations have tripled to 18% in 2023 compared to the same period in 2022.

The Electric Vehicle Council’s State of Electric Vehicles 2022 annual report showed that the ACT is a leader on ZEV uptake. The report showed that ZEV sales in the ACT were sitting at 9.5% at the time. In comparison, the average sales uptake for EVs across Australia is 3.39%. NSW has the second highest uptake in the country at 3.7%.

The ACT has some of the most generous financial incentives available in Australia to assist households and businesses to buy a ZEV. These incentives include zero interest loans of up to $15,000, stamp duty waivers, as well as 2 years free registration.

Transport currently makes up over 60% of the ACT’s emissions. Of this, private vehicles account for about 70% of transport emissions.

By switching to a ZEV, Canberrans can reduce their individual emissions footprint by around 3 tonnes per year. They can also save about $2,000 on running costs each year. This figure takes into account the average cost that Australians spend on petrol, average annual charging costs for EVs, and savings on vehicle maintenance.

The new data shows that there is a clear appetite for zero emissions transport in the ACT.

With more ZEV sales, Canberrans are likely to see many more second-hand ZEVs coming onto the Canberra market in the years to come.

Find out more about ZEVs, including information on current levels of uptake in the ACT.