In the market for a new car and live in the ACT? You might want to have a look at electric cars, not only because they're more earth-friendly, but because The Australian Capital Territory has promised to introduce free registration and interest-free loans for new electric car buyers.
The Labor and the Greens and have co-signed a new governing agreement giving Canberrans access to loans of up to $15,000 to purchase electric vehicles.
At the moment, Canberra electric car drivers are eligible for a stamp duty exemption as well as a 20% discount on registration.
How much do they cost?
There are some great affordable electric cars on the market that are more accessible to the average person that doesn't have the money to splash out on a Tesla.
MG ZS EV, $43,990 drive-away
Nissan Leaf, $53,000 drive-away
Renault Zoe, $53,800 drive-away
Hyundai Ioniq, $53,000 to $58,000 drive-away
Hyundai Kona SUV, $63,500 to $71,000 drive-away
If you're going top of the range, Teslas in Australia range from $85,300-$192,390.
Where can you charge your electric car?
You may have noticed a few charging stations popping up around your neighbourhood at shopping centres and supermarkets.
So will it cost you anything to charge your car like it would to fill up your petrol tank? Currently, all public rapic-charging stations in Australia are free.
Which other countries offer rebates for electric cars?
Canada - Canadians who purchase electric vehicles are eligible for an incentive of $2,500 to $5,000, applied at the point-of-sale by dealerships.
The United States - There is a federal tax credit available for most electric cars in 2020, for up to $7,500.
Norway - In 2020 more than 70% of all cars sold in Norway were electric. Norway has quite a long list of incentives for EV owners including a 25% sales tax being removed from new EV purchases and drivers being permitted to use bus lanes. Read the full list here.
Will your next car be electric? For Australia to reach a 2050 net-zero emissions target, we need to think renewables on a large scale. We think this rebate is definitely a step in the right direction, and as Sydney-siders, we are hoping for this rebate to roll out Australia-wide or... we might just have to move to Canberra!
If you liked this blog, make sure to check out our other Eco News blogs:
Does Your Council Provide Rebates For Eco-Friendly Products?
Endangered Hawksbill Turtle Returns to Australia
