- Last month, Australia proposed vehicle efficiency standards that penalise car makers.
- Volkswagen Australia has distanced itself from a campaign against new fuel standards.
To get more electric vehicles on the road and cut emissions, Australia proposed vehicle efficiency standards last month that will penalise carmakers who import emissions-intensive models and reward those who bring in cleaner vehicles.
Volkswagen Australia has quit the lobby group’s Policy Advisory Committee days after Tesla cut ties with the group. This is as the German carmaker distances itself from a campaign against new fuel standards.
The move widens a gap first opened last week when electric car maker Tesla accused the group of making false claims and quit in protest over its campaign against the new standards. Fellow automaker Polestar followed a day later.
The automotive lobby group has said the government’s preferred option would raise prices and limit options, especially for the pick-up trucks popular in Australia. It wants the government to water down its policy. Last week, Toyota backed the lobby group’s position and called on the government to revisit its plan.
Energy Minister Chris Bowen said yesterday that the government was open to a compromise and “where an idea has been made to us sensibly, we will consider it sensibly.”