Why average carbon pollution from new cars sold in Australia has barely fallen

The environmental benefit of a tripling in electric vehicle sales has been cancelled out by Australia’s appetite for large, fuel-guzzling utes and SUVs.

The Age reports a National Transport Commission report set for release today will show the average carbon pollution from new cars sold in Australia fell by only two per cent in 2021.

It’s prompted calls for stricter vehicle efficiency standards.

Motoring expert and editor of EVcentral.com.au, Toby Hagon, says Australia is a big country and we love to travel, so we buy cars to suit.

“The Ford Ranger, the Toyota Hilux … those sorts of things — they’re the ones sell in massive numbers,” he told Ross and Russel.

Mr Hagon says the swap to electric vehicles in Australia is being hampered by our lax emissions standards.

“Car makers are reluctant to send them here, purely because … we don’t have those CO2 standards, so therefore the incentive is not there to send them to Australia,” he said.

Press PLAY below to hear why carbon pollution from new cars sold isn’t falling

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