Australians Turn to Battery Powered Vehicles as Fuel Prices Bite

Despite the government halving fuel excise, warnings of future price increases are driving Australians to EVs and e-bikes in record numbers.

A customer prepares to charge his Tesla electric vehicle (EV) in a bay for electric vehicles at a supermarket in north London on Nov. 18, 2020. Daniel Leal-Olivas /AFP via Getty Images

While fuel prices across the five capital cities have eased thanks to the federal government’s decision to halve the fuel excise on April 1, long-term uncertainty is prompting Australians to switch to battery-powered transport in record numbers.

The latest Australian Competition and Consumer Commission data confirms that retail petrol and diesel prices have reduced in response to the excise cut.