Federal Labor’s Electric Car Discount and Community Battery Plan

On 31 March 2021, Labor Leader Anthony Albanese and the Shadow Minister for Climate Change and Energy Chris Bowen announced a new electric car discount and community battery plan.

The plan aims to lower household power bills and transport costs, reduce emissions and help stabilise the nation’s energy grid.

Electric Vehicle Discount

If elected, a Labor government will cut existing government taxes on non-luxury electric vehicles, such as import taxes and fringe benefits tax, to reduce the cost of electric cars in the market.

The reduction in upfront costs will see an increase in the uptake of electric cars and in turn, lower fuel and transport costs, and usage.

The plan also includes an Australian first National Electric Vehicle Strategy to assist the national manufacturing sector.

Within this strategy, Labor will pursue new policies to encourage the manufacturing of electric vehicle components in Australia. Labor will also look to increase electric vehicle stock amongst the Commonwealth car fleet.

Community Battery Rollout

An elected Labor government will also deliver a community battery plan to reduce the cost of household power bills, support the stablisation of the energy grid and reduce overall emissions. This follows the increasing numbers of rooftop solar panel installations on Australian households.

Under this plan, Labor will invest $200 million to install 400 community batteries across the country to assist solar households who rely on the grid when solar energy is unable to be sourced. The battery rollout will support 100,000 households by storing energy from solar panels during the day and utlising it at night in order to reduce demand on the grid at peak times.

Those who rent or live in apartments will be able to participate by utlising excess energy stored in the community batteries.

Further information

For more information, please contact your Hawker Britton consultant Simon Banks on +61 419 638

587. Further Hawker Britton Occasional Papers on the policy announcements of the Federal Opposition are available here.