Electric Vehicles

NSW Transport Minister Andrew Constance has warned Australia will be the “laughing stock of the world” if various state governments push ahead with plans to introduce a tax on electric vehicles (EVs). Instead, Mr Constance proposed a number of incentives to expedite the take-up of electric vehicles in NSW, including subsidised car parking, waving stamp duty and allowing EVs to use transit lanes normally reserved for buses and taxis, according a to a report in the Sydney Morning Herald.

The 2021 Nissan Leaf electric vehicle range has expanded with the addition of a longer-range Leaf e+ variant. Priced from $60,490 before on-road costs, the Leaf e+ justifies its $10,000-plus premium over the standard variant (on sale locally since 2019) with a larger battery, more power, faster charging and, crucially, a longer driving range.

Iconic US luxury brand Cadillac – which cemented its reputation with gas-guzzlers adorned with oversized bodywork and an excess of chrome in the 1960s – is about to become a pure electric brand to take on upstart Tesla. In a shock announcement overnight, General Motors executives said Cadillac would phase out petrol-powered vehicles by 2030. Global Vice President of Cadillac Rory Harvey said from today onwards, the brand would only be unveiling battery-powered models.

The 2022 Genesis Electrified G80 has been officially revealed, ahead of an Australian launch in early 2022. Unveiled at the 2021 Shanghai motor show opening this week, the Electrified G80 beats the much-rumoured GV60 to its public debut by several months to become Genesis' first electric vehicle (EV) – though unlike the GV60, the Electrified G80 doesn't ride on a dedicated electric-only platform, instead being based on the regular, combustion-powered G80 introduced in 2020.

A company located in Melbourne's south east has answered a brief from the Australian Defence Force to design and build an electric off-road side-by-side buggy for use in combat. EVolution worked with the Defence Science & Technology Group to develop the buggy – which it's calling the e-ATV – creating a near-silent utility vehicle to help transport troops quickly and with minimal detection.