HVIA EV Transition Inquiry Submission Calls For HV Focus

HVIA recently made a submission to the House of Representatives Standing Committee on Climate Change, Energy, Environment and Water’s Inquiry into the transition to electric vehicles.

The submission is in line with HVIA’s broader support of the heavy vehicle industry on its decarbonisation journey and harnessing the experience of its members and stakeholders to resolve issues across regulation, policy, skills and training, and infrastructure. The work is being led by the HVIA LITE Driving Committee.

As HVIA’s membership encompasses a wide range of low- and zero-emission (LZE) technologies, HVIA included references to the broader net-zero ecosystem beyond battery-electric vehicles.

HVIA expressly recommended that when considering policy and regulation as it relates to LZE vehicles that this includes all vehicles. Too often “electric vehicles” in policy and strategies means only passenger/light commercial vehicles (eg vans).

HVIA contends Australia will need multiple solutions to decarbonise road transport, including electric, hydrogen, battery swap, and renewable diesel powered vehicles

Support and acknowledgement of the role of heavy vehicles in the transition to net zero is vital – Australia has the opportunity to get the policy, regulatory, financial, and strategic settings correct from the outset, rather than scrambling to incorporate heavy vehicles into a future designed with only LZE light vehicles in mind.

HVIA’s submission notes that Australia will need multiple solutions to decarbonise road transport, with application of different technologies for different freight tasks. This will include exploring the whole range of options (electric, hydrogen, battery swap, renewable diesel) for their feasibility and potential applications.

Implementing LZEHVs in Australia will require a huge transition, one comparable to when the industry transitioned from horse-drawn carriages to internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles. At present, ICE vehicles still compose most heavy vehicles. HVIA wants to ensure committee members understand the scale of change required for the heavy vehicle sector to transition.

The industry’s transition to net zero will take time, but more than anything it will take a coordinated and determined effort across industry, governments, and relevant stakeholders.

HVIA’s full submission is available here. If you are interested in HVIA’s work in this area, get in touch with Chief Advocacy Officer Dr Adele Lausberg at a.lausberg@hvia.asn.au.