Share This

Media Releases

Tuesday, 30th March 2021

Labor’s Electric Car Discount and Community Battery Plan to Cut Household Bills and Emissions

with Chris Bowen MP

An Albanese Labor Government will deliver an Electric Car Discount and Power to the People - Community Battery Plan that cuts taxes, unlocks consumer choice, reduces power and fuel costs for families, and cuts emissions.

Under Labor, electric vehicles will be cheaper.

Just 0.7 per cent of cars sold in Australia are electric, compared to a global average of 4.2 per cent, and 75 per cent in Norway.

A majority of Australians say they would consider buying an electric model as their next car, but because of scaremongering and the policy vacuum under the Morrison government, electric vehicles remain unaffordable for most Australians.

Labor will cut government taxes on non-luxury electric vehicles, including import taxes and fringe benefits tax, to give people choice and ensure that more Australians who want electric cars can afford them.  

By reducing upfront costs, Labor’s Electric Car Discount will encourage uptake, cutting fuel and transport costs for households and reducing emissions at the same time.  

Labor’s Electric Car Discount will encourage car makers to supply more affordable electric vehicles to Australia which will in turn increase competition, drive down price and give consumers more choice.

An Albanese Labor Government will also develop Australia’s first National Electric Vehicle Strategy.

Labor will pursue policy settings to encourage Australian manufacturing of EV components, and consider leveraging existing Commonwealth investments in its fleet and infrastructure spend to increase electric vehicle stock.
 
An Albanese Labor Government will also deliver Power to the People – the community battery plan to cut power bills, support the grid and reduce emissions.

Australian households have been voting with their feet on rooftop solar.

Our 1 in 5 solar households is world-leading.

But without battery storage, solar households are still reliant on the grid when the sun isn’t shining.

Only 1 in 60 households have battery storage, because the upfront costs are still just too high.

Labor’s Power to the People is a $200 million investment to install 400 community batteries across the country.

It will support 100, 000 households by storing energy from solar households during the day, and drawing on it at night – reducing power bills, reducing demand on the grid at peak times, and cutting emissions.

Households that can’t install solar (like apartments and renters) can participate by drawing from excess energy stored in community batteries.

The technology of the future to cut household bills and emissions is already here, we just need the policy settings to unleash it.   

When it comes to lower power bills and reducing fuel costs for families, Labor is on your side.

That’s exactly what an Albanese Labor Government will deliver.

Quotes attributable to Labor Leader Anthony Albanese:

“Only Labor is on your side when it comes to reducing power bills and fuel costs for families.”

“Labor’s Power to the People will invest in Australia’s future and help Australia catch up to the rest of the world when it comes to electric vehicles.”

Quotes attributable to Shadow Minister for Climate Change and Energy Chris Bowen:

“Labor’s Power to the People will unlock the full potential of rooftop solar for Australian households – lower power bills, cut emissions, and help stabilise the grid.”  
 
“Labor’s Electric Car Discount will cut government taxes on electric vehicles, and reduce day-to day transport costs and emissions for Australian families."

About Anthony
Media Centre
Grayndler NewsTranscriptsSpeechesOpinion Pieces

Electorate Office

334a Marrickville Rd
Marrickville NSW 2204

Phone: 02 9564 3588

Parliament House Office

Parliament House
Canberra ACT 2600

Phone: 02 6277 7700

DisclaimerPrivacyTerms

Electorate Office

334a Marrickville Rd
Marrickville NSW 2204

Phone: 02 9564 3588

Parliament House Office

Parliament House
Canberra ACT 2600

Phone: 02 6277 7700

Phone: (02) 9564 3588
Fax: (02) 9564 1734
Email: A.Albanese.MP@aph.gov.au

We acknowledge the traditional custodians of the land on which our offices stand and we pay our respects to Elders past, present and emerging. We acknowledge the sorrow of the Stolen Generations and the impacts of colonisation on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. We also recognise the resilience, strength and pride of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities.

Authorised by Anthony Albanese. 334a Marrickville Rd, Marrickville NSW 2204.

Sign up to hear directly from the Prime Minister

Loading...