Aussie Motorists Might Miss out on Cheap Electric Cars

A driver charges his electric vehicle at a charging station as the California Independent System Operator announced a statewide electricity Flex Alert urging conservation to avoid blackouts in Monterey Park, Calif., on Aug. 31, 2022. Frederic J. Brown/AFP via Getty Images

Australians might miss out on thousands of near-new electric vehicles at significantly cheaper prices than existing offerings if laws banning imports are not quickly addressed.

The vehicles, from countries including Japan and the United Kingdom, can be imported to Australia for about $20,000 (US$13,398)—less than half the price of the cheapest new electric car.