Driving A Market For Plug-In Hybrids - How to make this happen now

17 April 07 – For immediate Release – Melbourne, Australia

"Soon we'll have have no Jobs, and live in a very uncomfortable environment if our politicians don't pull their fingers out and take emergency measures like get the Australian Car Industry Converted to build cars based on "near zero emissions" Hybrid Electric technologies said Matthew Wright, Lead Campaigner Beyond Zero Emissions.

The potential for Australia to resurrect its languishing manufacturing sector and secure homegrown jobs is being undermined by the Federal Government's failure to promote the Plug-in Hybrid Electric vehicle (PHEV). -The Plug-in Option is an enhancement that Toyota has announced they may release in their 2009 series Prius.

In 2006 960,000 new vehicles were purchased in Australia, with only 20 per cent of these made in the country. The sale of locally made new cars had fallen 19 per cent from the previous year. Concerns about global warming and volatile petrol prices have forced consumers to overlook the Australian made six cylinder vehicles in favour of more efficient foreign products. Yet with innovative investment in the Hybrid Technology the Australian automotive industry can be given new life.

Of the near million new cars sold each year in Australia, 400,000 are either government purchases, fleet or salary sacrifice vehicles.

The Australian Government should legislate that by 2010 all government, fleet and salary sacrifice vehicle purchases must be for vehicles using a hybrid drive system. (some exemptions for remote use and primary industry vehicles). This would provide remarkable incentive to our car manufacturers to make long-term investment in the low emission Plug -in Hybrid technology, reducing carbon emissions from Australia's light vehicle fleet by upto 85 per cent.

"Sources in the Australian car industry have put the cost of converting our manufacturing base over to a Hybrid Drive at $300 million and 30,000 firm orders for each of the four established car manufacturers. A total commitment of 1.2 Billion dollars and 120,000 orders per year to tool up each of the car plants and start production." said Mr Wright.

"The government currently forgoes a Billion dollars each year in Tax revenue in the form of (Fringe Benefit) tax exemptions to individuals. If we can direct this subsidy to clean vehicles then we've created the market for hybrids, and with a one off 1.2 Billion dollars all the automotive plants in Australia can be converted."

In particular We believe Toyota could tool up very quickly as they already have their hybrid technology ready to go and they've been testing the plug-in option considering it as part of their 2009 series Prius." says Matthew Wright, Beyond Zero Emissions campaigner. "The potential for Australia to get in on PHEV manufacturing is ripe for the taking, it's just a matter of will and when." "If we drive down the hybrid road now, we'll be able to pickup export opportunities all over the world, where governments are choosing to convert their fleets to near zero emissions technologies." said Mr Wright.

PHEVs are defined by their capacity to be powered by a grid charged electric battery, boosted by a combustion engine for trips over 50-80km. With significant renewable capacity installed on the grid and integration with intelligent electricity metering, all new private automotive transport in Australia's urban centres can be near zero emissions in three years. Meanwhile the Australian Government still applies a 50% discount to importers of 4WDs, like the giant Hummer, on import duty, charging twice as much for hybrid's like Prius and the Civic Hybrid.

"Kevin Rudd's $500 million 'Green Car Innovation Fund' is a welcome indication of the ALP's interest in saving our car industry and environment, but it doesn't go far enough, lacking the firm actions we are proposing" says Mr. Wright. "If the Australian Government or opposition are serious about preventing climate change they should work with the car industry to develop Australian Plug-in hybrid's in a timely manner. Not only does it significantly reduce our carbon emissions, but it also secures Australian jobs."

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