The range of EVs is surging, but certain fears are holding back sales

The Age

5 days ago

Consumer doubts about the longevity of electric vehicle (EV) batteries and the lack of a second-hand market are preventing more people from buying EVs, even as the number of options proliferates.
The government forecasts that EVs will one day dominate Australian roads but the latest figures show the proportion of new cars sold that are EVs has slowed to only 5.9 per cent of the market.
New research from insurance giant NRMA says key reasons Australians lack confidence in electric cars include doubts over owners' ability to find qualified EV technicians when they need repairs, and concerns about the viability and safety of second-hand EV parts, including batteries.
NRMA, which said there were 80 EV models available and more were expected in the coming months, also flagged customer concerns about how to safely dispose of EV batteries at the end of their use.
The report, based on interviews with 2079 people including 91 EV owners and 280 individuals considering EV ownership, showed more than 60 per cent of existing owners were concerned about the lack of qualified technicians who could repair them, and almost all of them said they expected their insurer to have access to EV technicians.
NRMA Insurance chief executive Julie Batch said the absence of qualified EV technicians was an issue compounded by a national shortage of automotive repair technicians.
'Nationally there are 38,000 unfilled automotive positions right now, and EVs are different. So you need both those skills that are current in automotive technicians, panel beaters, repairers, things like that, and you need to add to those things,' Batch said. She said filling that void would require upskilling an already dwindling industry.
The automotive sector has also previously warned of a shortage of technicians to service the growing number of EVs on the roads. The Victorian Automotive Chamber of Commerce has said the industry would probably need two to three times the current number of qualified EV technicians.
An additional 68 per cent of those surveyed by NRMA were concerned about recycling and disposing of EV batteries, and less than one-third of drivers said they'd be comfortable using a recycled battery. They cited fears over battery fires, especially when charging vehicles, despite evidence suggesting EV battery fires are rare.