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Greens promise higher speed limits for EV drivers (April Fool!)

UPDATE, midday: The jig is up! And, of course, many of you were wise to the gag before you'd gotten past the first line. A surprising many took the bait, though...



The Australian Greens have announced a bold plan to give electric vehicles a leg-up on the "dinosaurs" in petrol and diesel cars, proposing higher speed limits for EV owners.

Announced today, the proposal follows on from the party's planned ban on internal-combustion sales in 2030. Battery-electric vehicles would be allowed to do 130km/h in 80km/h zones, and 150km/h in 100km/h zones.

They'd also be exempt from speeding fines while overtaking, lest they be forced to spend too much time "breathing in disgusting fumes" from a tailpipe.

"We're big fans of electric vehicles," said Greens spokesperson Gypsy Adams.

"Not only because they're good for the environment, but because the major parties seem oblivious to their existence," she continued.

"Plus, it's an election year. We're throwing essentially anything we can at the wall to see what sticks, and this seems to have people talking."

The policy would be a world first, should it be enacted.

Although it didn't provide a full statement, the Electric Vehicle Council seemed slightly baffled by the proposal, but said it's nice "people are finally talking about" electric cars as an election issue.

The above rendering, handed down by The Greens today, hints at a freeway lane dedicated to high-speed electric travel. (Of course, positioning the fast lane on the left, where motorists traditionally slow down before exiting the freeway, appears par for a lack of common sense in Greens' policy planning - Ed.)

On regular highways, speed cameras would be able to distinguish electric vehicles from their internal combustion counterparts using large "ELECTRIC" stickers on a car's number plate. Ms Adams said the stickers made it clear EV owners are superior to petrol and diesel owners, as the party pushes to drive adoption of the burgeoning tech.

The road safety lobby has condemned the move, with the Traffic Accident Commission (TAC) in Victoria arguing the policy is "irresponsible politics of the highest order".

"Speed kills. We've made that abundantly clear," a TAC spokesperson told CarAdvice.

"We'd have people driving everywhere at walking pace if possible, with cameras on every street corner, so it's safe to say this isn't a policy we support," they went on, before curling up in the foetal position, mumbling "speed kills, speed kills, speed kills..."

"Our only reassurance is the fact One Nation has a better chance of having some influence in one house, let alone both," another spokesperson said, stepping into the awkward void.

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