Time for some bright sparks - gemtek.com.au
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T oday will see events held across the globe as part of the first World EV Day, including up to 100 electric vehicles gathering at Crown Perth, but Australia’s leading electric vehicle body says WA is failing in its efforts to prepare for widespread EV use. In its State of Electric Vehicles 2020 report issued last month, the Electric Vehicle Council awarded WA an F grade for its lack of an EV policy. EVC chief executive Behyad Jafari said WA had gone backwards since signing a memorandum of understanding in 2017 to develop an electric vehicle policy and other strategies to support EV uptake. “Since that time, they’ve been steadily working away on it but it’s been three years and the work is still ongoing,” he said. “In previous analysis we’ve scored WA higher because they were at least working towards it, but I think we’ve called time on that. Other major States and Territories have their plans in place and they’ve been executing them for some time; it’s now well past time to actually see that action out of WA.” “I’m sure it will eventually come. When it does land and it’s been executed, we’ll shift that score back up. But they should have delivered by now.” The State Government defended its action on EVs, with a Department of Water and Environmental Regulation spokesperson saying the Western Australian Electric Vehicles Working Group was finalising an Electric Vehicle Strategy for Government which it expected to release within the next six months. “The Western Australian Electric Vehicles Working Group has been investigating a range of actions to support the uptake of electric vehicles focusing on the areas of charging infrastructure, fleets, standards and guidelines, and stakeholder awareness,” the spokesperson said, before adding there were already initiatives under way. “The Western Australian Government is already acting to support the uptake of electric vehicles, including installing charging infrastructure in State Government buildings, making it easier for Government agencies to purchase electric vehicles for their fleets and installing and/or supporting the rollout of fast and medium-speed charging stations in Perth and in regional areas such as Collie, Esperance, Halls Creek, Fitzroy Crossing, Warmun and Broome. “The McGowan Government has also extended buyback payments as part of the Distributed Energy Buyback Scheme to export energy from electric vehicles in the same way as rooftop solar.” The spokesperson also pointed out many Government entities, including Western Power and the Water Corporation were testing electric vehicles across their operations, while a trial of electric buses on the Joondalup CAT route will begin in 2022. However, Mr Jafari maintained WA was behind other States. “Look across the other side of the country, New South Wales is going through the process of making 100 per cent of its bus fleet electric,” he said. “The time for trials has passed now.” The Northern Territory and Federal governments were also deemed to be failing, while the ACT was awarded a B for recent initiatives including adding hydrogen vehicles to its fleet and testing vehicle-to-grid technology with Nissan Leafs. Mr Jafari said States were in many respects hamstrung by a lack of action at a Federal level. “A lot of the levers and policies required to shift our market are Federal ones; the Federal Government should be leading and the States complementing policies,” he said. “But given that hasn’t occurred, States are having to step up and fill that gap.” Mr Jafari said WA’s natural resources meant it was in a particularly good position to capitalise on EV growth, claiming the issue was clouded by being dragged into the “climate wars”. “I sometimes joke if they weren’t a clean energy, we’d have acted on them just because of all the other benefits they provide,” he said. “The whole world shifting to electric vehicles means they need the minerals that are in WA in order to support that transition — we have quite a lot to gain,” he said, before adding it was a matter of when, not if, EVs would become the norm. “This is the way we’re going,” he said. “Doing nothing means that it will happen here about 10 years later than other developed markets. “We’ve got some really bright companies doing things like building charging infrastructure, developing software and tools for electric vehicles. “A lot of companies would like to go down the value chain of building the batteries and battery management components to help us really take advantage of some of those natural benefits and competitive advantages we have here. “If we take up EVs 10 years after everyone else, all of that goes away — it would be like trying to start Facebook here if we didn’t have the internet.” Time for some bright sparks The State cops an F grade for its EV policy but the Government says it’s acting now Charging infrastructure needs to be expanded. WA sites such as Mineral Resources' Wodgina project already mine the lithium needed for EV batteries. Picture: Mineral Resources ‘We’ve got some really bright companies doing things.’ Behyad Jafari SAM JEREMIC Electric Vehicle Council chief executive Behyad Jafari. Wednesday, September 9, 2020 COVER STORY WestWHEELS 3 W ith its seemingly endless road network cutting through vast, desolate areas, WA would appear to be one of the more difficult places to own an electric vehicle. Gemtek Group director and Tesla Roadster owner Florian Popp admits range anxiety remains the number one concern among people he talks to. But he also has a pretty convincing argument up his sleeve. “I’ve crossed the Nullarbor in an electric car,” he said. Mr Popp, who is also a He bought his Roadster in 2017 to compete in the 2018-19 Targa West rally. A Tesla Model 3, meanwhile, took out the Targa 130 category at the Targa South West at Pemberton last month. Mr Popp said it was important car and motorsport enthusiasts realised they wouldn’t be left behind in a shift to EVs — in fact, it could help prolong their favourite cars’ lives via converting to electric. “We’re not just preaching hippy and green,” he said. “That’s why we do the Targa events: it’s actually engaging with the car guys in a positive way and it’s a good place to engage with the TAFEs and the element of people who are car enthusiasts, the motorsport guys. There are so many great cars in WA, instead of doing a swap, you could chuck an electric motor in it and it adds years of life.” “It’s more a cultural shift, hearts and minds. We all think we’re driving to Exmouth — we’re not. We probably drive there once a year, or once every three years. People drive a LandCruiser to go pick up the kids from school every day: do we really need to be driving these big 4WDs everywhere? Probably not.” Mr Popp also stressed EV ownership didn’t have to be all about environmental concern. committee member of the Australian Electric Vehicle Association’s WA branch and helped organise Perth’s EV event being held at Crown today, says despite work being needed to address power systems and EV servicing in regional areas, the feedback he has received indicates EVs can be an option for more than just city dwellers. “The reality, is even in regional areas, the local traffic doesn’t drive to Perth every day; they drive into town and back home,” he said. “The actual mechanics of it are there already, it’s possible to drive an electric car anywhere. Electric dreams WA’s vast expanses aren’t the obstacle many imagine for cars that shun fossil fuel Florian Popp’s Tesla Roadster in the Targa rally. Picture: Tim Allott SAM JEREMIC
Transcript of Time for some bright sparks - gemtek.com.au
Today will see events heldacross the globe as part ofthe first World EV Day,
including up to 100 electricvehicles gathering at CrownPerth, but Australia’s leadingelectric vehicle body says WA isfailing in its efforts to preparefor widespread EV use.
In its State of ElectricVehicles 2020 report issued lastmonth, the Electric VehicleCouncil awarded WA an Fgrade for its lack of an EVpolicy.
EVC chief executive BehyadJafari said WA had gonebackwards since signing amemorandum ofunderstanding in 2017 todevelop an electric vehiclepolicy and other strategies tosupport EV uptake.
“Since that time, they’ve beensteadily working away on it butit’s been three years and thework is still ongoing,” he said.
“In previous analysis we’vescored WA higher because theywere at least working towardsit, but I think we’ve called timeon that. Other major States andTerritories have their plans inplace and they’ve beenexecuting them for some time;it’s now well past time toactually see that action out ofWA.”
“I’m sure it will eventually
come. When it does land andit’s been executed, we’ll shiftthat score back up. But theyshould have delivered by now.”
The State Governmentdefended its action on EVs, witha Department of Water andEnvironmental Regulationspokesperson saying theWestern Australian ElectricVehicles Working Group wasfinalising an Electric VehicleStrategy for Government whichit expected to release within thenext six months.
“The Western AustralianElectric Vehicles WorkingGroup has been investigating arange of actions to support theuptake of electric vehiclesfocusing on the areas ofcharging infrastructure, fleets,standards and guidelines, andstakeholder awareness,” thespokesperson said, beforeadding there were alreadyinitiatives under way.
“The Western AustralianGovernment is already actingto support the uptake ofelectric vehicles, includinginstalling charginginfrastructure in StateGovernment buildings, makingit easier for Governmentagencies to purchase electricvehicles for their fleets andinstalling and/or supportingthe rollout of fast andmedium-speed chargingstations in Perth and in
regional areas such as Collie,Esperance, Halls Creek, FitzroyCrossing, Warmun andBroome.
“The McGowan Governmenthas also extended buybackpayments as part of the
Distributed Energy BuybackScheme to export energy fromelectric vehicles in the sameway as rooftop solar.”
The spokesperson alsopointed out many Governmententities, including WesternPower and the WaterCorporation were testingelectric vehicles across theiroperations, while a trial ofelectric buses on the JoondalupCAT route will begin in 2022.
However, Mr Jafarimaintained WA was behindother States.
“Look across the other sideof the country, New SouthWales is going through theprocess of making 100 per centof its bus fleet electric,” he said.
“The time for trials haspassed now.”
The Northern Territory andFederal governments were alsodeemed to be failing, while theACT was awarded a B for recentinitiatives including addinghydrogen vehicles to its fleetand testing vehicle-to-gridtechnology with Nissan Leafs.
Mr Jafari said States were inmany respects hamstrung by alack of action at a Federal level.
“A lot of the levers andpolicies required to shift ourmarket are Federal ones; theFederal Government should beleading and the States
complementing policies,” hesaid. “But given that hasn’toccurred, States are having tostep up and fill that gap.”
Mr Jafari said WA’s naturalresources meant it was in aparticularly good position tocapitalise on EV growth,claiming the issue was cloudedby being dragged into the“climate wars”.
“I sometimes joke if theyweren’t a clean energy, we’dhave acted on them justbecause of all the other benefitsthey provide,” he said.
“The whole world shifting toelectric vehicles means theyneed the minerals that are inWA in order to support thattransition — we have quite a lotto gain,” he said, before addingit was a matter of when, not if,EVs would become the norm.
“This is the way we’re going,”
he said.“Doing nothing means that it
will happen here about 10 yearslater than other developedmarkets.
“We’ve got some really brightcompanies doing things likebuilding charginginfrastructure, developingsoftware and tools for electricvehicles.
“A lot of companies wouldlike to go down the value chainof building the batteries andbattery managementcomponents to help us reallytake advantage of some ofthose natural benefits andcompetitive advantages we havehere.
“If we take up EVs 10 yearsafter everyone else, all of thatgoes away — it would be liketrying to start Facebook here ifwe didn’t have the internet.”
Time for some bright sparksThe State cops an F grade for its EV policybut the Government says it’s acting now
Charginginfrastructure
needs to beexpanded.
WA sites such as Mineral Resources' Wodgina project already mine the lithiumneeded for EV batteries. Picture: Mineral Resources
‘We’ve got somereally brightcompanies doingthings.’ Behyad Jafari
SAM JEREMIC
Electric Vehicle Council chiefexecutive Behyad Jafari.
Wednesday, September 9, 2020 COVER STORY WestWHEELS 3
With its seeminglyendless road networkcutting through vast,
desolate areas, WA wouldappear to be one of the moredifficult places to own anelectric vehicle.
Gemtek Group director andTesla Roadster owner FlorianPopp admits range anxietyremains the number oneconcern among people he talksto. But he also has a prettyconvincing argument up hissleeve.
“I’ve crossed the Nullarbor inan electric car,” he said.
Mr Popp, who is also a
He bought his Roadster in2017 to compete in the 2018-19Targa West rally.
A Tesla Model 3, meanwhile,took out the Targa 130 categoryat the Targa South West atPemberton last month.
Mr Popp said it wasimportant car and motorsportenthusiasts realised theywouldn’t be left behind in ashift to EVs — in fact, it couldhelp prolong their favouritecars’ lives via converting toelectric.
“We’re not just preachinghippy and green,” he said.
“That’s why we do the Targaevents: it’s actually engagingwith the car guys in a positiveway and it’s a good place toengage with the TAFEs and theelement of people who are carenthusiasts, the motorsportguys. There are so many greatcars in WA, instead of doing aswap, you could chuck anelectric motor in it and it addsyears of life.”
“It’s more a cultural shift,hearts and minds. We all thinkwe’re driving to Exmouth —we’re not. We probably drivethere once a year, or once everythree years.
People drive a LandCruiser to
go pick up the kids from schoolevery day: do we really need tobe driving these big 4WDseverywhere? Probably not.”
Mr Popp also stressed EVownership didn’t have to be allabout environmental concern.
committee member of theAustralian Electric VehicleAssociation’s WA branch andhelped organise Perth’s EVevent being held at Crowntoday, says despite work beingneeded to address powersystems and EV servicing inregional areas, the feedback hehas received indicates EVs canbe an option for more than justcity dwellers.
“The reality, is even inregional areas, the local trafficdoesn’t drive to Perth everyday; they drive into town andback home,” he said. “Theactual mechanics of it are therealready, it’s possible to drive anelectric car anywhere.
Electric dreams WA’s vast expanses aren’t the obstacle many imagine for cars that shun fossil fuel
Florian Popp’s Tesla Roadster in the Targa rally. Picture: Tim Allott
SAM JEREMIC
