The Government of the United Kingdom will still require 80 per cent of carmakers’ sales to be electric by 2030, despite delaying the ban of new petrol and diesel vehicles last week.

The Tory government confirmed it won’t change its zero-emission vehicle mandate timeline to phase out internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles.

This means from next year, at least 22 per cent of carmakers’ total sales in Great Britain must be all-electric, which progressively rises annually to reach 100 per cent by 2035.

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By 2030, 80 per cent of new cars and 70 per cent of new vans sold must be electric.

That’s despite prime minister Rishi Sunak announcing the relaxation of climate-related policies last week, including delaying the ban of new ICE vehicles by five years to 2035 in line with countries, such as France, Germany, and Sweden.

The move was criticised last week by carmakers that have already made investments to meet the 2030 target, with the manufacturers calling for more consistent public policy.

Locally, the Australian Government will soon introduce a ‘fuel efficiency standard’, which mandates a carbon emissions per kilometre cap on the average total sales of each car brand.

Like the United Kingdom’s approach, the Australian target will become stricter each year to boost electric and fuel-efficient vehicle sales in Australia.

September 21, 2023: UK delays new petrol and diesel car ban to 2035

The Government of the United Kingdom has delayed the sales ban of new internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles by five years to 2035.

At the UK prime minister’s speech overnight [The Guardian YouTube ↗], Rishi Sunak said the move is ‘easing the burden on working people’ by relaxing climate-related policies.

We’re aligning our approach with countries like… Australia

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“I expect that by 2030, the vast majority of cars sold will be electric… People are already choosing electric vehicles to such an extent that we’re registering a new one every 60 seconds”, Sunak said.

“But I also think that, at least for now, it should be you the consumer that makes that choice, not government forcing you to do it.

“Because the upfront cost still is high – especially for families struggling with the cost of living – small businesses are worried about the practicalities, and we’ve got further to go to get the charging infrastructure truly nationwide.

“We’re aligning our approach with countries like Germany, France, Spain, Italy, Australia, Canada, Sweden, and [some] US states… and still ahead of the rest of America and other countries like New Zealand.”

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Sunak’s move represents a relaxation to former Conservative Party prime minister Boris Johnson’s policy – announced in 2020 – which would have banned the sale of new pure petrol- and diesel-powered vehicles.

New plug-in hybrids will be allowed, and used traditional combustion engine vehicles can still be purchased after 2035.

The leader of the Conservative Party also echoed the European Commission’s recently-launched investigation into ‘artificially low’ made-in-China EVs.

“We need to strengthen our own auto industry, so we aren’t reliant on heavily subsidised, carbon-intensive imports from countries like China,” Sunak said.

The UK prime minister claimed it is already 48 per cent ahead of its Group of Seven (G7) partners – including Germany, Italy, France, Canada, Japan, and the United States – in achieving net zero emissions by 2050.

In Australia, Victoria recently ended its $3000 EV purchasing rebate and New South Wales will follow next year – both earlier than initially promised.

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Car brands denounce delay

A statement from Ford UK chair Lisa Brankin said the industry has already made investments to meet the previous 2030 deadline.

“This is the biggest industry transformation in over a century and the UK 2030 target is a vital catalyst to accelerate Ford into a cleaner future,” Brankin said.

“Our business needs three things from the UK government: ambition, commitment and consistency. A relaxation of 2030 would undermine all three.

“We need the policy focus trained on bolstering the EV market in the short term and supporting consumers while headwinds are strong: infrastructure remains immature, tariffs loom and cost-of-living is high.”

Meanwhile, a statement from the Volkswagen Group UK said despite the policy delay “we urgently need a clear and reliable regulatory framework which creates market certainty and consumer confidence, including binding targets for infrastructure rollout and incentives to ensure the direction of travel.”

Sunak has also extended the country’s deadline for installing heat pumps to 2035, alongside removing taxes on meat, aeroplane travel, and compulsory car sharing.

The Jeep Avenger electric SUV – due in Australia later in 2024 – is aimed at a more youthful audience, said its chief designer.

Jeep Europe’s head of design Daniele Calonaci said the Avenger had three design principles – young, fun and compact – to appeal to younger customers, with the brand also aiming to boost female ownership.

“Yes, it’s pretty intentional because as you can imagine, you know the average customer till some years ago for the Jeep were a male of 50 years,” said Calonaci.

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“So, the deal was to put down the average age of the customer for Jeep and to have more young customers [and] also more female customers.”

“You know the Renegade, for example, reached the 20 per cent of female customers, but we are pushing to have the 40 per cent, for example, on the Avenger. We… [are] at that level in Europe. I think what we had in mind from the very beginning is already reality in Europe.”

However, Calonaci emphasised that the Avenger’s overall theme “is to have an active design”, rather than appealing to certain people, while conceding its “most compact size” could be an important consideration for a female customer.

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Designed and engineered entirely in Italy, the Avenger is targeted at the European market and, excluding the iconic Willys Jeep, is the most compact Jeep ever at 4.08m long.

Despite its smaller dimensions, it retains classic design elements including a boxier shape, trapezoidal wheel arches, Jeep’s iconic seven-slot grille, and a high ground clearance, including a 700-millimetre tyre diameter said to be “pretty huge for this compact segment”.

The Avenger’s interior features a minimalistic layout prioritising easy cleaning with a “functional beam” inspired by the Wrangler, removable rubber mats for easier cleaning, a full-digital instrument cluster and a 10-inch infotainment system.

It also has a black moulded rear bumper to prevent scratches when stowing items like bicycles.

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“We won’t sacrifice the space inside the car for the aerodynamics,” said Calonaci, highlighting the vehicle’s practicality, with 34 litres of front storage space and the 380-litre boot which, according to Jeep, can accommodate 2443 rubber ducks.

The 2025 Jeep Avenger electric SUV is due in Australia in the second half of next year with local details to be confirmed closer to its launch.

While a petrol Avenger, with a 1.2-litre turbo-three shared with the related Peugeot 2008, is available in certain markets, Jeep Australia has confirmed an electric-only stance for the Avenger – at least at launch.

Yes, you may well have noticed that Driven To Extinction usually heroes a car that’s on its way out.

Well, this month we’ve tweaked things a little and wave auf wiedersehen to the Volkswagen Group’s W12 engine which is now found exclusively beneath the bonnet of Bentley’s upmarket wares.

Choose a flagship Continental GT or Bentayga and you’ll get six litres of 12-cylinder goodness, but you’ll need to be quick. The 12-pot engine is a rare breed now. Once the W12 bites the dust, only Aston Martin, Lamborghini and Rolls-Royce will take your order.

Ferrari? Well, the order books have closed on the 812 and, at the time of writing, for the four-seat Purosangue too.

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Though we most readily associate the W12 with Bentley, its first run out in a production car was beneath the aluminium bonnet of the Audi A8 in 2001.

It even featured in some Volkswagens, with Touaregs and Phaetons both having the W12 shoehorned in. That engine, effectively a pair of narrow-angle V6s sharing a common crankshaft, was very different to the one we’re used to in Bentley’s wares though.

For a start it made a mere 309kW without the benefit of forced induction and it required a bit of wringing, its peak torque of 550Nm available between 3750 and 4000rpm.

That was unacceptable to Bentley, who took over production of the W12 at its Crewe plant from Volkswagen’s factory in Salzgitter in Germany. By turbocharging the engine, changing the control systems, and fettling the cooling, injection and combustion processes, Bentley was able to bring the peak torque response of the engine down to 2000rpm in order to deliver the requisite effortless acceleration.

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The W12 was always an engine that required careful compromises.

Bentley knew its flagship engine needed to have no more than 500cc per cylinder for emissions purposes, and the sub-5-metre dimensions of the original Continental GT sketches also meant it needed to be compact. The W12 fitted the bill perfectly. Ultimately it is Europe’s ever-tightening emissions regulations that have done it in.

Bentley has confirmed the W12 will be discontinued in April 2024 and that a few final build slots for Continental and Bentayga W12s are still available, but it’s about to get a very special send-off in the form of the limited-run Batur, another bespoke Mulliner vehicle that picks up where the Bacalar left off.

The 552kW Batur will see an 18-car production run, with the W12 being sent out the door in its most furious form yet. Another one bites the dust.

More than 105,819 new electric vehicles have been officially registered in the past 13 years in Australia.

The milestone was passed sometime last month, according to official registration data from the Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries (FCAI).

All-electric models made up 0.001 per cent of new car sales in 2010, but increased to 3.1 per cent share in 2022 and is currently sitting at 7.2 per cent so far in 2023 (to the end of August).

It’s been a long road…

In the past few years, the number and choice of EVs has expanded in Australia from only a handful of mostly high-end, six-figure priced offerings to more than 50 individual models today, priced from just below $40K before on-road costs, with a rise in Chinese-made EVs getting us there. (China has a strong competitive advantage with cheaper labour and a more local supply for battery packs.)

Yet, the local EV market has been dominated by relatively recent entrants.

? Top three best-selling EVs in Australia

• Tesla Model 3 small sedan – 36,118*
• Tesla Model Y medium SUV – 28,363*
• BYD Atto 3 small SUV – 10,217*

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These made-in-China models have quickly shaded the venerable older EVs that are still on sale today, including the Nissan Leaf small hatchback (2460) and Jaguar I-Pace luxury crossover (355).

Both European-made EVs were introduced locally in 2012 and 2018 respectively.

Our EV market is now seasoned enough to have even seen a number of models retired or discontinued, including the Mitsubishi I-MiEV, Renault Zoe, BMW i3, Hyundai Ioniq Electric, and more recently the Tesla Model S and Model X.

Sales are projected to rise further with forthcoming carbon emissions standards that aim to boost supply, despite some arguments otherwise.

Public charging infrastructure is also growing in locations and reliability to meet increasing demand, while EV incentives have been introduced and some have been pulled back earlier than promised.

Since 2010, more than 18,158 plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) and 55 hydrogen electric models have also been registered.

? New Australian EV sales over the years

Our original story continues unchanged below.

February 7, 2023: Australia to pass 100K EV sales milestone

Australia is on track to have more than 100,000 electric vehicles on the roads this year, according to research by the Electric Vehicle Council (EVC).

The lobby group reveals an estimated 83,000 electrified cars are currently in circulation – almost double last year’s total – comprised of 79 per cent full battery-electric vehicles (BEVs) and 21 per cent plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs).

BEVs and PHEVs made up 3.8 per cent of the new car market share in 2022.

These figures, however, exclude imported used examples from overseas, which has been an increasingly popular method for EVs to obtain lower prices.

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“If you think you’re seeing more EVs on the road than you used to, you’re right, but if we want to hit our national emissions targets we won’t make it on this current trajectory,” EVC CEO Behyad Jafari said.

“To achieve the Federal Government’s emission target we’ll need a near fully zero-emission vehicle fleet by 2050… that means reaching one million EVs by 2027 and around three million by 2030.

“We can definitely hit these goals, but not without an ambitious fuel efficiency standard to expand the supply of EVs to Australia.”

The Council also outlines that 1530 more public EV charging stations came online in 2022.

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Of the 3413 total public chargers in Australia, 134 of them are fast chargers (classified as outputting 24 to 99kW DC) and 99 are ultra-rapid stations (100kW DC or more).

The Australian BEV market is moving at a steady pace, selling 33,410 units last year. It was spearheaded by the Chinese-made trio – the Tesla Model 3 sedan, Model Y SUV, and BYD Atto 3 crossover in 2022.

Volvo Cars Australia has already committed to selling an EV-only line-up by 2026, while the Australian Capital Territory is set to ban the sales of new internal combustion petrol and diesel engine cars from 2035 – following in the footsteps of Europe and the United Kingdom.

However, at this stage, Australia lacks tough average tailpipe emissions regulations, such as the impending Euro 7, which pushes carmakers to offer more low- or zero-emissions vehicles – otherwise heavy financial penalties apply.

It’s Blackberry versus the iPhone again.

The choice and sales of battery-electric vehicles (BEVs) in Australia have increased dramatically in just a few years, while hydrogen fuel-cell electric vehicles (FCEVs) continue to be spruiked by some politicians, carmakers and industry groups.

Which is the right solution to decarbonise transportation?

It’s also no secret that hydrogen fuel-cells have long been used as an excuse for governments and lobbyists to delay vehicle carbon emissions restrictions, while hydrogen combustion engines and synthetic fuels have also been mooted as options to keep the traditional engine alive where battery EVs aren’t suitable.

The question remains: which alternative fuel – BEVs or FCEVs – is ultimately best for buyers, the market and the planet?

JUMP AHEAD

• ⌛️The current state of hydrogen cars
• ? Battery EVs – the good and bad
• ? Hydrogen EVs – the good and bad

• ❓ Which is right?

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⌛️ The current state of hydrogen cars

BEVs have clearly been the priority of buyers and automakers globally, but some are still experimenting with the prospect of FCEVs.

Almost every major manufacturer now has a BEV in the market or on the way, and nearly every newly-founded car brand is devoted to BEVs only.

Tesla and Build Your Dreams (BYD) have rapidly grown globally in just a few years, while carmakers such as the Hyundai Motor Group, Volkswagen Group, BMW Group, Geely, and now the Toyota Motor Corporation are rolling out their BEV offerings locally.

In contrast, only two carmakers lease a new production hydrogen vehicle in Australia today – albeit for a limited number of commercial fleet buyers only: the second-generation Toyota Mirai sedan and the Hyundai Nexo SUV.

Then, there’s the question of public recharging or refuelling infrastructure… For more, read on.

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? Battery EVs: The good and bad

As with all new technologies, there is no ‘one perfect solution’ among the alternative future fuels currently being explored.

But, the inherent advantages of battery-electric vehicles are quickly outweighing the negatives – and they’re already more than sufficient for most Australians’ needs today.

While there are still barriers around the typically higher purchase price, a number of BEV models have already achieved price parity – such as the BYD Dolphin, Atto 3, MG 4 and Tesla Model 3 – as the cost to enter into a petrol- or diesel-powered car continues to rise.

With most Australians living in urban or suburban areas, BEV driving ranges are already at the point where the average commuter would never need to stop at a public charging station, simply by trickle-charging at home overnight (or only once every week or two if reliant on public infrastructure).

Real-world data has also demonstrated that battery technology today can exceed the vehicle’s lifetime, depending on use.

And, despite the higher initial environmental footprint, BEVs are still more environmentally sustainable over time, with renewable electricity sources already making up around 35.9 per cent of Australia’s grid in 2022 – and improving, according to the Clean Energy Council [PDF ↗].

However, there are still valid concerns around safety if batteries catch fire and cause a thermal runaway reaction. Despite more entry-level EVs using the lithium-iron-phosphate (LFP) battery cathode that reduces this risk, typical energy-dense lithium-ion type batteries will remain in most models for years to come.

There are also limitations around the number and reliability of public charging stations, and current BEV driving range may not be enough if you live in regional and rural areas. Therefore, regular long-distance drivers are better off with a traditional hybrid or plug-in hybrid instead (for now) as a better alternative over pure diesel.

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? Hydrogen EVs: The good and bad

While battery EVs are still a relatively young technology, hydrogen tech is even more nascent. It does have potential, but the accelerated development and adoption of BEVs means an all-hydrogen transportation future likely won’t become a reality.

With the same local zero-emissions promise as BEVs, most FCEVs can refill within five minutes via a high-pressure pump – but stations do need to pause and take time to repressurise at times. It also uses a tiny traditional hybrid-sized battery, so it doesn’t require as many controversial raw materials as full BEVs.

Hydrogen-powered cars also provide slightly more driving range with better energy density than batteries and fuel – one kilogram of hydrogen contains about 3.4 times the energy of 1kg of petrol. For example, the Hyundai Ioniq 5 BEV offers up to 507km claimed WLTP driving range, whereas the Nexo FCEV has up to 666km.

However, while FCEVs might provide a more familiar transition from an internal combustion engine vehicle, the two models that are in Australia aren’t available to the general public (for now). Instead, they’re limited to select commercial customers (mostly government fleets) – and Toyota and Hyundai are only willing to provide a limited-time trial lease to them.

Exacerbating this, if BEVs are considered pricey, hydrogen cars are even expensive. For example, the Toyota Mirai FCEV costs $63,000 on just a three-year / 60,000km loan – with a full ownership cost for the Camry-sized sedan priced beyond $100,000 overseas.

While BEVs can use any three-pin power socket, hydrogen cars depend solely on public refuelling infrastructure. Yet, it’s almost non-existent in Australia today, with only four publicly accessible stations nationwide – in Canberra (ActewAGL), Melbourne (Toyota and CSIRO), and Brisbane (BP).

Even with them installed, the costs to run each refuelling station are more staggering than BEV charging stations, since hydrogen requires special storage, needing to be contained either at high pressure or extremely low temperatures.

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Like EV batteries, FCEV tech still has its own environmental sustainability concerns in the production process, as commercial-scale hydrogen generation today is done by reforming methane or natural gas with steam.

A true ‘green hydrogen’ process will require the entire production chain to be powered by renewable energy – but it still requires a lot of power and wasted energy to compress the gas to a pressure where it contains enough energy to drive a vehicle.

A battery-electric car can be charged up directly (via a built-in inverter if by AC power) from the grid or solar electricity and then discharge stored energy via its motors for driving.

By contrast, the hydrogen method would use that same electrical energy to convert water into hydrogen, expend more energy to compress the gas for transportation, then use more energy to distribute and pump it into a car, where a fuel cell stack then converts the hydrogen back into electricity for the motor.

Overall, the entire electricity-to-hydrogen-to-wheels process would lose around 62 per cent of energy once it actually drives the vehicle.

That’s compared to BEVs, which would only have around 20 per cent of overall losses through the grid-to-car-to-wheels process.

In short, there’s a lot of indirect and circling around processes – when ultimately a hydrogen vehicle just needs pure electricity to drive.

There still may be a place for hydrogen tech in commercial applications, such as long-haul trucks, where stopping to charge isn’t feasible for businesses.

But, for now, regional motorists and regular road-trippers would be better served by combustion-engined petrol-electric hybrid cars or plug-in hybrids as a more suitable alternative to pure diesel.

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❓ Which is right?

The reality is clear: the rate of development and adoption of battery-electric vehicles globally – plus complementary public charging infrastructure – is so strong that the prospects for hydrogen-powered cars becoming mainstream is looking bleak.

The ‘chicken and egg’ issue that is only just now being overcome with BEVs is even more prevalent with FCEVs.

While some politicians and lobbyists (mostly oil companies) continue to occasionally spruik a hydrogen-powered utopia, the current state of FCEVs is similar to BEVs from more than a decade ago – with an inefficient production process, drivetrain and expensive price barrier.

On the other hand, BEV tech is quickly evolving to provide longer driving range, better energy efficiency, faster charging, improved safety and longevity, and better environmental sustainability in the production process – just to name a few.

There may still be a place for hydrogen in our transportation sector for some applications, but BEVs are already sufficient for most Australians’ needs and are set to become the main choice of power in the coming years.

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How can electric cars get cheaper when battery costs have risen?

EV batteries are expensive. It’s the Achilles heel that’s keeping new electric car prices high – and battery prices have increased, as demand grows for supply-limited raw materials such as lithium and cobalt.

JUMP AHEAD

• ? Why do we need another new battery option?
• ? How about solid-state batteries?
• ? What do sodium-ion batteries contain?
• ? How are sodium-ion batteries cheaper?
• ?️ When will sodium-ion batteries be released?
• ? Is it time to make the electric switch?

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? Why do we need another new battery option?

Carmakers such as Tesla, BYD and MG have already adopted the longer-lasting and thermally safer lithium-iron-phosphate (LFP) cathode chemistry, but it still isn’t flawless.

On the plus side, LFP doesn’t use contentious cobalt and nickel materials, making them around 20 per cent cheaper than regular lithium-ion nickel-manganese-cobalt (NMC) packs, according to BloombergNEF [↗].

Yet, LFP batteries were still hit by a 27 per cent price rise in 2022 compared to 2021 – where demand overtook supply for the first time.

It’s caused by the increased demand for mining lithium – resulting in an EV battery shortage, as demand outstrips supply to more drivers buying electric vehicles.

While some automakers and the International Energy Agency [↗] have said market costs started to lower again in 2023, BloombergNEF [↗] expected it to start dropping in 2024 as more extraction and refining facilities open – in addition to developing better recycling processes.

Mercedes-Benz chief executive Ola Källenius told Reuters [↗] that EVs will remain more expensive “for the foreseeable future” due to varying costs in battery raw materials, software development and electricity prices – despite targeting a ‘significant cost reduction’ for the forthcoming CLA electric sedan and using LFP for entry variants.

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? How about solid-state batteries?

Solid-state batteries are mooted as the ‘ultimate’ solution for EVs to address concerns around driving range, weight and, importantly, thermal safety.

But, they aren’t expected to come to market until at least 2025 – and it’ll be even longer before they’re a properly affordable proposition.

In the interim, MG’s director of battery development, Ge Hailong, told WhichCar that it’s developing a half solid-lithium hybrid pack to debut in 2025 that’s even cheaper and longer-lasting than LFP.

Meanwhile, some major carmakers including Hyundai, Toyota and BMW have also invested in developing hydrogen fuel-cell powertrains – which has its own benefits, but is still significantly less efficient to produce and drive an EV than pure battery.

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? What do sodium-ion batteries contain?

Enter sodium-ion (Na-ion) batteries, seen as a cheaper and even more sustainable alternative to LFP.

Sodium-ion cells share a similar construction and alkali metal properties with Li-ion, albeit being slightly heavier and bigger.

The anode’s hard carbon material allows a broader range of available electrolytes, resulting in a wider operating temperature range and ultimately makes it safer to use (more on that below).

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? How are sodium-ion batteries cheaper?

Sodium is expected to be up to 40 per cent cheaper than lithium, due to abundant supply, and lower extraction and purification costs.

Critically, sodium-ion tech lacks expensive raw and environmentally unsustainable materials such as lithium, cobalt, copper and graphite – which are in short supply due to slow mining processes not keeping up with the increasingly strong demand.

For the world’s largest EV battery maker, Contemporary Amperex Technology (CATL), it claims its sodium-ion pack provides similar safety and longevity to LFP, with faster charging capabilities and better low temperature performance – but is less energy dense (i.e. less driving range), at least in first-generation form.

Sodium-ion battery producer Faradion [↗] claims the electrolytes are more stable than lithium-ion, and its own testing demonstrates no fire reaction when penetrated with a nail.

That’s similar to BYD’s LFP Blade Battery claims, but according to the British company, sodium-ion still outputs significantly less heat.

When completely discharged (at zero volts), its peer-reviewed research [↗] demonstrates the risk of thermal runaway from short-circuiting is eliminated – which is ideal for transporting EVs in cargo ships en masse, for example.

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?️ When will sodium-ion battery EVs be released?

Sodium-ion batteries are already being produced, but the question is when they’ll debut in mass-market electric cars globally.

Cheaper manufacturing costs and the initially lower energy density than LFP means they’ll be found on more affordable, entry-level models with shorter driving ranges.

Chinese automaker BYD intends to introduce sodium-ion tech on its Seagull micro electric car soon in a cheaper base variant, but it’s only sold in China for now.

Similar to BYD, CATL has already released its own Na-ion batteries in 2021 and plans to ramp up production this year to debut in a Chinese-market Chery EV. But, it may initially take a hybrid sodium-lithium approach, according to local media reports (via Electrive [↗]).

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British startup Faradion has been developing sodium-ion batteries since its inception in 2011. Its batteries are already in production, with the first commercial energy storage battery installed in Australia in late 2022.

While lithium-ion battery prices have increased, sodium-ion packs have emerged as the new solution to reduce manufacturing costs, rely less on environmentally unsustainable raw materials – a further reduction from LFP – and offer better thermal safety to ultimately lower the cost barrier to electric vehicle adoption and address contentious issues.

Despite this, if it does reach the masses, it may take some time with most major automakers still favouring LFP today for entry-level EVs – especially in China, where the majority of LFP packs are manufactured (according to Asia Financial [↗]).

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? Is it time to make the electric switch?

Are electric cars truly sustainable – if the batteries contain raw materials and are mainly charged from a coal-fired electricity grid? Check out our comprehensive guides below for everything electric cars.

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Mercedes-AMG has revealed hotted-up versions of the GLC coupe range, and they’re due in Australia at the end of 2024.

Following the confirmation of the wagon-bodied GLC 43 and 63 S for Australian shores in the second quarter of next year, the respective coupe versions will follow suit.

The rivals for the BMW X4 M40i, X4 M, Audi SQ5 Sportback, and Jaguar F-Pace SVR will pack AWD, performance-oriented suspension, and electroshocked four-cylinder powertrains.

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Like the wagon versions, the GLC 43 gets a mild-hybrid four-cylinder producing 310kW/545Nm while the 63 S E Performance uses the same setup as the C 63 sedan – that means 500kW and 1020Nm for the medium SUV.

Pricing and features are yet to be confirmed but don’t expect much change from $160K for the GLC 43, while the 63 will likely push $200,000 before on-road costs.

Our original story, below, continues unchanged.

July 2023: Mercedes-AMG GLC 43 and GLC 63 S confirmed for Australian release

Mercedes-AMG has revealed hardcore versions of its new GLC medium SUV, and they’re confirmed for Australian release in the second quarter of next year.

Sitting at the top of Mercedes’ most popular vehicle range, you can expect AMG versions of the GLC to carry heft price tags – think over $150K for the 310kW AMG 43 with the 1020Nm AMG 63 S E Performance plug-in hybrid likely cresting $200K.

The saddest news for fans of exhaust sounds is that, like the C63 sedan, the GLC is now exclusively powered by various electrically-boosted four-cylinder engines rather than a selection of four- six- and eight-cylinder motors.

Beneath them will sit the sole non-AMG trim, the GLC 300 that Alex Inwood reviewed earlier this month, which costs $104,900 before on-road costs. Rivals for the AMG GLC include the BMW X3 M Competition and M40i, Maserati Grecale, Alfa Romeo Stelvio, Audi SQ5, and Volvo XC60 T8.

Power, efficiency and performance

Just like the AMG C43, the GLC 43 employs a 2.0-litre turbo-petrol four-cylinder engine and 10kW electric supercharger for improved response at low revs. It sends 310kW/500Nm to all four wheels via a nine-speed dual-clutch automatic.

The GLC 43’s AWD system is rear-biased, with a default torque split of 31:69 per cent front to rear.

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The even more pumped and blacked-out GLC 63 S E Performance’s powertrain is mind-bogglingly complex. A hand-built 2.0-litre AMG ‘M139l’ engine installed longitudinally produces 350kW/545Nm on its own. On the rear axle is a 150kW permanently excited synchronous electric motor that brings combined outputs to 500kW and 1020Nm.

For all its extra firepower over the V8 (125kW and 320Nm of it), Mercedes claims the GLC 63 is capable of a 0-100km/h sprint in 3.5 seconds – just three tenths quicker than before – with a top speed electronically limited to 275km/h.

The GLC 63’s all-wheel drive system can apportion drive from 50:50 front-rear all the way to 100 per cent rear if required.

A 6.1kWh battery designed to be charged and discharged rapidly gives the GLC 63 a modest electric-only driving range of 12km. New direct cooling technology helps the 560-cell lithium-ion battery achieve peak performance.

The result of all this electrification? The GLC 43 is rated between 9.8-10.2L/100km in the WLTP combined cycle (against the old six-pot’s 10.4l/100km ADR figure), and the 63 S E Performance 7.5L/100km in the same test – quite an improvement over the last-gen V8-powered GLC 63’s 12.1L/100km rating.

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Suspension and chassis

The GLC 43 has five drive modes, and the GLC 63 a total of eight (both with customisable Individual modes), tweaking personalities from laid back to maximum attack.

The engine and gearbox response, damper setting, and ESC parameters are all affected by the drive selector – there’s even a fully off mode for the stability control for racetrack use.

All GLC models roll on steel springs, while AMG variants get upgraded to three-mode adaptive dampers. The flagship GLC 63 builds on this with an active anti-roll system powered by the 48-volt electrical system to keep the SUV flatter during hard cornering without sacrificing ride comfort.

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Pricing and availability

Mercedes Australia is yet to confirm pricing for AMG GLC 43 and GLC 63 S E Performance models, however, we anticipate the 43 will start at $150K (the discontinued car is $136,000) and the 63 over $200K (up from $188,000).

Local Mercedes-AMG GLC arrivals will begin in the second quarter (April-July inclusive) of 2024.

October 18, 2023: Victoria’s EV road tax has been struck down

In a blow for the state, Victoria’s zero-emissions vehicle road-user tax has been deemed unlawful.

See the full story at the link below.

STORY CONTINUES

Victorians who have paid the state government’s electric vehicle levy over the last two years have done so “unfairly”, a report into the cost-per-kilometre scheme has determined.

The state’s ombudsman, Deborah Glass, said that “thousands of people have been affected by the charge since it came into effect in 2021, many of them unfairly.”

The scheme, administered by Victoria’s Department of Transport and Planning, currently charges users of both battery-electric vehicles and plug-in hybrids at the rate of 2.8c and 2.3c per kilometre travelled, respectively.

Both amounts were increased on 1 July this year.

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It is designed to replace the federally-administered fuel levy, currently charged at 44.8c a litre on all fuel products.

As electric vehicle uptake continues, the fuel levy – which raises around $20 billion annually – is expected to decrease accordingly.

While a new federally-levied electric vehicle tax was hinted at by the federal government in August this year, it is unlikely to be rolled out before 2026 at the earliest.

Most other states and territories do not currently charge an EV levy; South Australia repealed laws to introduce a charge, while NSW will introduce a levy in 2027 or when EVs make up 30 per cent of sales, whichever comes first.

Other states like Western Australia will charge a levy from 2027.

The ACT currently charges 2.6c and 2.1c per kilometre for EVs and PHEVs, respectively,

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According to the Victorian Ombudsman, the fact that PHEV users are slugged twice – once for traditional Commonwealth-based fuel excise based on their ICE travel and again for kilometres travelled on electric power – smacks of “policy made on the run (or not at all)”.

“Imagine buying an electric vehicle, and then being charged for more kilometres than you have driven, because ‘this average calculation is bound by legislation’,” she wrote.

“Or travelling thousands of kilometres on fuel in your plug-in hybrid vehicle in remote parts of Australia with no charging stations and being charged hundreds of dollars for road use, despite having already paid the Commonwealth fuel excise on all those kilometres.”

Heavy-handed governance of the scheme and an inflexible approach to solving complaints has also been noted.

There are also two High Court actions currently underway in Victoria, with the complainants arguing for the law to be overturned on the basis that the state government had no authority to implement it.

“Whether or not its validity is successfully challenged, this legislation is being administered unfairly,” Ms. Glass said.

“This needs to change.”

Honda is set to unveil a seemingly NSX-like electric concept, along with a family of other electric vehicle concepts at October’s Japan Mobility Show.

Called the Honda Specialty Sports Concept (HSSC), the Japanese automaker claims it will “enable the driver to experience the pure joy of driving… even in the era of electrification for carbon neutrality and the popularisation of automated driving technology”.

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A rendering commissioned by Autocar [↗] – likely inspired by Honda’s earlier teasers – proposes an ultra low, two-door aerodynamic shape with a footprint more akin to an electric NSX supercar successor, rather than the small S2000 convertible.

The concept will fulfill Honda’s announcement last year to offer two sports models globally – a ‘specialty’ and a ‘flagship’ – with a new Honda E: Architecture dedicated EV platform set to debut in 2026.

The full reveal is scheduled on October 25, alongside other new Japan-focused compact EV concepts.

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Other Honda EV concepts to be revealed

• Sustaina-C Concept: A Honda E-esque electric city car that uses recycled and repurposed materials in the circular economy.
• Pocket Concept: An electric motorcycle using recycled and repurposed materials in the circular economy.
• SC e: Concept: An electric motorcycle with modular swappable Honda Mobile Power Pack e: batteries.
• Honda CI-MEV: Two-seater electric Kei car targeted for regional and remote communities, who have limited access to public transportation.

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Honda’s EV push… not in Australia?

While Honda’s electric vehicle offerings have been limited compared to Asian automaker rivals from China and South Korea, it is aiming to launch 30 EV models globally by 2030 and produce more than two million units annually.

However, earlier this year Honda Australia director Carolyn McMahon told Wheels it won’t bring any pure EV models Down Under until at least 2028, citing sub-par public charging infrastructure as its key reason to focus on petrol-electric hybrids instead.

From next year, it will launch a family of EVs in China, introduce the Prologue medium SUV in partnership with General Motors, and debut the E:NY1 small SUV in Europe.

The latter is based on the Honda HR-V and signals new unique EV elements, including white Honda logos, a significantly larger 15.1-inch portrait-orientated touchscreen, and front charging bar light status.

Yet, it won’t make a Honda E successor – the only EV it sells in Europe – due to low demand in Europe and Japan for the limited-range Mini Cooper Electric and Fiat 500e rival.

Chargefox chief executive John Sullivan spoke with WhichCar on criticism of charger reliability, how the business is funded – and the bold promise that public charging will dramatically improve in 2024.

A search online for electric vehicle charging reliability in Australia often surfaces two words: Chargefox and Tritium.

Valid or not, user and media criticism of Australia’s largest public EV charging network’s faulty chargers – particularly at key Chargefox-owned locations, including Melbourne Airport West, Sydney’s Zetland, and Goulburn outside of Canberra – has come thick and fast over the past year.

There have also been vocal complaints about not receiving advertised charging speeds – even though these concerns can often be misguided or poorly informed, given the variety of factors that affect charging – and accusations at its business operations.

How bad is it?

It’s human nature for a bad customer experience to turn into criticism shared far and wide, solicited or not – often more than it is to shout the praises of a brand that quietly ‘gets it right’ – but those bad experiences can often be blown out of proportion as frustration and time do their thing.

In many cases, a brand can be hamstrung by external factors like issues with suppliers, unreliable or broken links in logistics, or just its own poor management. Whatever the cause, and however understandable – we’ve all felt mistreated at times over factors out of our control – the logo on the product is where user grievances are focused.

Please explain

For some insight into why chargers always seem to be faulty, and why issues aren’t resolved sooner, WhichCar invited new Chargefox CEO John Sullivan – appointed earlier this year – to explain how it all works (or doesn’t).

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JUMP AHEAD

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? Why are most Chargefox chargers not owned by Chargefox?

Chargefox CEO John Sullivan says the company’s primary focus is partnering with organisations to install and maintain public EV charging stations on its software network – instead of building and operating infrastructure itself.

Sullivan: We basically don’t own the [majority of] the charging infrastructure. We work with other charge point operators [CPOs].

Most of them are the mobility clubs or energy companies like Engie, Yurika, Synergy, and Horizon, who put infrastructure in – but need to provide access to customers to find out if they’re available, drive to those locations, and then initiate a charge and receive billing. And, we build and manage reporting mechanisms on top of it.

Sullivan: Since founding, we have moved to a software business that builds software to sit on top of both public and private chargers, and grants access to chargers for charging EVs. So, you would consider us as a platform business – very similar to something like Uber or Airbnb, where neither company owns the customers or the infrastructure.

We won’t install any more [Chargefox-owned] chargers. We actually don’t need to. The network’s growing so fast, I’d be ‘muddying the water’.

It’s actually a big problem for [rival charging network providers] to find locations [to install stations] as well. So, competing with people who are trying to get onto your network for locations to install chargers – that’s not going to be a very good business for us.

We won’t install any more [Chargefox-owned] chargers. We actually don’t need to

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? Why are Chargefox chargers unreliable?

While Sullivan won’t name specific manufacturers, he says public EV charging stations fault at times due to the increased use, weather conditions, and outdated ‘first-generation’ units. Read our detailed story here.

The Chargefox CEO also confirmed that all its 21 owned charging locations will be replaced with newer, more reliable modular units with power sharing (between multiple plugs) and load balancing capabilities in the next year.

John Sullivan: At the moment we’re the biggest network [in Australia]. Therefore, we draw more attention [and criticisms]… We’ve got more load on our system.

Whenever there’s a fault with a charger, it’s probably going to be a fault with a Chargefox charger… By sheer volume you hear more about Chargefox, because we’ve got that kind of network size outside of Tesla.

No one publishes a reliability report. They just make wild statements of how many chargers they have available… There are a lot of people regurgitating misinformation in the market. I think that’s discrediting EVs as a viable option. I would implore those companies to stop doing that.

We draw more attention [and criticisms]… We’ve got more load on our system.

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? Will public charging ever improve?

Chargefox CEO John Sullivan promised bold expansion plans and improved charging station reliability – within just one year.

John Sullivan: Over the next year, we will have doubled the size of the network, we will have put new chargers in, we will have replaced older chargers with newer chargers. The network will become much more reliable, much better, there will be much more options for people to charge on our network.

If you look back in a year’s time, I reckon I’m going to be right on the money. Basically the network will be so much better, everybody’s network will be so much better. The problems we’re facing today will not be the problems we’re facing in a year’s time.

The problems we’re facing today will not be the problems we’re facing in a year’s time.

Literally, every graph is going up on SLAs [service level agreements]: chargers going in, in new locations, number of [regular] users, the size of charging sessions, and the rate at which vehicles are charging. All the metrics are going in the right direction. They’re not slight graphs; they’re almost vertical on almost everything that’s happening at the moment.

The main area that we focus on at the moment is improving driver etiquette with idle fees. We’re doing a trial over in Western Australia and trying to reduce what we call ‘parked time’ – which is when a car plugs in, when the charge session finishes, and how long the car is still connected.

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? Does Chargefox aim to be the only or most significant network for EVs, similar to Tesla Superchargers?

It’s true that Chargefox was originally founded to rival Tesla’s Supercharger network, but Sullivan says it is time for the industry to stop boasting about their charging networks and cooperate to establish better accessible and reliable infrastructure.

Sullivan: The only way this industry is going to provide a viable charging opportunity to convert all vehicles from ICE [internal combustion engine] to electric is through partnership.

It’s going to be a group of us all willing to sit at a table and have everybody’s best interests… I would implore all other companies to work together and partner. I don’t see enough of that.

Sullivan: Everyone thinks they can build and dominate – and it’s folly. No one is going to build the only network that everybody needs. No one’s going to do it. We’re not going to do it.

This is a new industry. We make mistakes. The industry as a whole has not set itself up well for the [EV] adoption rates we’re getting today. Everybody in this industry feels it. We’re fixing the plane as it’s flying.

Everyone thinks they can build and dominate – and it’s folly.

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⚡️ When will there be more chargers?

Sullivan says that while Chargefox won’t install any new additional stations itself, its charging provider partners are quickly expanding stalls.

Sullivan: We grow by anything between 100 and 200-plus [individual] plugs per month. The reason we grow at such a rapid rate in comparison to anyone else that builds charging infrastructure is that we work with other charge point operators [CPOs] to install chargers.

We have local councils, local governments, local small businesses, we have organisations that are focused on the best interests of the drivers and the communities that they’re in.

Sullivan: If you look at the RAA in South Australia, no one would build a network on the [scale that] RAA is building. There’s no money to be made on it. It’s a complete loss. There has to be someone whose best interest is the driving public.

And, the energy companies who have access to the energy to distribute out at a cost-level, that will give them a long-term investment and make money.

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Sullivan: Our network will basically almost double every year from now on, in the number of plugs and a number of locations.

We also manage a bigger private network of charging stations for businesses. Over the next year or two you will see industries and government bodies convert their vehicles from ICE [internal combustion engine] to electric. I think that’s where the majority of the growth will be.

In five years, I think we’re going to see an exponential growth in public and private plugs on Chargefox to the point where it will continue to be the largest network because of the people we work with. We’re not trying to do everything ourselves.

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? Is Chargefox misusing government money?

“Misinformation”. Sullivan on allegations that Chargefox has taken government funding while delivering unreliable infrastructure.

Sullivan: No, it’s not true. Chargefox was founded on a mixture of funding. The majority of it was from the mobility clubs, founders, and some of the directors and board.

We received a federal government loan because of the enormity of the cost. We have paid all of that money back. And, we received partial funding from the Victorian Government for seven Victorian sites out of the first 21 [Chargefox-owned locations].

We received a federal government loan… We have paid all of that money back.

Sullivan: We have not taken that money and simply had a royal time on wads of cash… I’ve heard the commentary a lot – and it grates quite a bit.

Actually, of the charge point operators [CPOs] – we’re not one, but we get lumped in with them – we’re probably the only business that statement should not be levelled at.

Everybody else has taken federal funding and co-grants – they have to match the funding from [the federal government’s Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA)]. But, we haven’t received any that we have not paid back, apart from the Victorian Government.

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? Is the Chargefox network sustainable?

The whole-of-life environmental sustainability of EVs is a contested issue, when charging is still mainly sourced from high-emitting power plants.

Sullivan says that while the network isn’t completely ‘green’, it is still better than fueling a petrol or diesel car.

Sullivan: At least 30 per cent of the power that’s consumed from the grid comes from renewable mechanisms. That’s only improving.

Drive a petrol or diesel car all you like. It’s not going to get any better. But, if you were to drive an electric vehicle, at least a third of the energy that you put in that car today will come from a sustainable means. If you charge it from home with solar, all of it comes from renewable means.

One direction’s going to get better, more effective and more efficient over time. The other is only staying where it is.

Drive a petrol or diesel car all you like. It’s not going to get any better.

Sullivan: On the 21 [Chargefox-owned] sites, they come primarily from either green certified or green sources, or we buy credits for the energy that’s on those sites. But even that’s a myth, because you’re buying an allotment of energy to be dispersed onto the grid.

We try to influence [CPO partners] to have sustainable energy agreements with their energy provider.

We’re doing some trials at the moment to see how we can influence people’s time-of-charge when the grids are full of sustainable renewable energy, over gas and coal generated energy.

Initially, we started with price; it’s made no difference whatsoever. We’re also trialling in South Australia, changing the rate of charge – faster when there is more abundance of sustainable energy, [slower] in the middle of the night. We’ll provide that information back up to ARENA and the state and federal governments.

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?? When will the CHAdeMO plug be phased out in Australia?

Sullivan says the rare CHAdeMO ‘fast-charging’ plug type will remain in Australia for the foreseeable future to serve models like the Nissan Leaf and Lexus UX300e, along with imported Japanese EVs, and the used EV market.

Sullivan: We see varying degrees of charging – some by locations, some by charger.

In Melbourne, the use of CHAdeMO plugs is about 20 per cent of all the chargers – I was surprised by that figure. And then in other areas of Adelaide, I’ve found it down to about two or three per cent.

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Should current and hopeful EV owners reasonably expect all that Sullivan has promised?

Chargefox’s new CEO appears forthright in describing the business’s troubles while mythbusting misconceptions in the market, but has boldly promised that public EV charging will dramatically improve from next year.

Only time will tell if these plans will prove out, but as the Australian EV sales continue to rapidly grow, the demand is there – primarily led by Tesla and BYD – despite some arguments otherwise.

Owners and the media have criticised Chargefox-owned stations for extended repair times at busy locations, with some reportedly out-of-order for several months. The painful manufacturer diagnosis and repair process that Sullivan described will also need attention to restore user trust.

Based on user experiences posted to the comments section of charger-finding website PlugShare, Evie Networks and BP Pulse have emerged as more dependable public charging sites.

Those sites mostly use Tritium’s newer, modular RTM and PKM machines, so it’s promising that Chargefox’s 21 owned locations will be completely refitted with newer modular stations. It’s a big investment, which as Sullivan points out, will mean improved reliability – since they’re better designed to handle higher loads, as seen in the US and Europe.

However, there’s the question of how long the replacement process will really take.

Chargefox’s own last ‘new’ chargers in Carseldine, Brisbane – which are just stalls moved from the flood-destroyed Toombul location – have been installed, but are still not operational (i.e. in the commission stage) for three months as at the time of publication.

The Australian Renewable Energy Agency (Arena) hasn’t committed to funding any EV charger maintenance beyond the initial installation, let alone mandating any availability and reliability rules to qualify for its grants.

The company’s software-focused platform approach also risks an inconsistent charging experience – across branding, wildly different charging costs, and accessibility.

Critically, as Sullivan and EVSE Australia admitted, not all charger-owning partners are as committed to maintaining and repairing broken stations, particularly when energy companies, governments, councils and local businesses may likely each have different priorities.

And, unlike the United States [US Department of Transportation ↗], the Australian Renewable Energy Agency (Arena) hasn’t committed to funding any EV charger maintenance beyond the initial installation, let alone mandating any availability and reliability rules to qualify for its grants.

Meanwhile, Tesla’s Superchargers – some of which have now been online for more than a decade – have largely proven dependable, integrating seamlessly with Tesla vehicle software and navigation to essentially eliminate ‘range anxiety’ on long trips.

As a major part of its overall marketing, Tesla ensures any downtime for its Superchargers is rare, making it the closest experience to using traditional fuel stations, despite attempts from other carmakers overseas. It remains a key selling point for Tesla EVs that other brands in Australia can’t easily match, even with its network opening up to all models at a price.

Europe’s utopian EV charging hubs with dozens of stations from different networks on a large forecourt – without forcing owners to drive somewhere else to find a working charger – looks likely to remain a pipe dream in Australia for some time.

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