TACC news

Morrison EV pledge in jeopardy

13 December 2021

Prime Minister Scott Morrison’s recent pledge that Australian motorists will own and drive 1.7 million zero and low emissions vehicles (ZLEVs) by 2030 has hit a speed hump. 

The Federal Government’s Future Fuels and Vehicles Strategy outlines how Australians will transition to ZLEVs (most of which will be electric vehicles). The Victorian Automotive Chamber of Commerce welcomes the goal, but new modelling shows Australia is far from ready to deal with an EV boom.

There are 25,000 electric vehicles in the country, serviced and maintained by about 500 EV technicians. But, that number, if Mr Morrison is right, will grow to 1.7 million by 2030, while the number of technicians – if something isn’t done – will remain the same, creating an enormous skills gap in less than a decade.

“Australia has eight years to increase the number of electric vehicle technicians by 1578 percent in order to meet the Federal Government target of 1.7 million zero and low emission vehicles on-road by 2030,” said VACC CEO, Geoff Gwilym. 

“My question is: How does Mr Morrison propose to do that?”

According to current industry trends, Australia will only have 17.5 percent of the required number of trained electric vehicle technicians by 2030.

“The Federal Government may achieve the target of 1.7 million zero and low emission vehicles on-road by 2030, but who’s going to service those vehicles?”

Based on trend growth in EV technicians to date, there will be a supply deficit of over 6,000 electric vehicle technicians by 2030. Australia needs 7,300 EV technicians to service and maintain the future fleet.

Mr Gwilym says the Federal Government needs to take measures now to ensure Australia has a skilled future workforce. 

“Without trained electric vehicle technicians, the planned EV sales boom will collide with a lack of people qualified to maintain them.”

ENDS

Download research paper Electric vehicle technicians – a looming crisis.