Positives and negatives: is it better to learn to drive in an electric or a petrol vehicle?

The Guardian

7 hours ago

Not long ago, the choice was between manual and automatic. One, demanding mastery of gear stick, accelerator and clutch – greater control at the risk of stalling – the other offering a simpler ride.
These days the debate has moved on. The majority of new cars are automatic and an increasing share are electric.
New data from the Electric Vehicle Council shows sales of electric vehicles continue to climb in Australia, with 12% of new sales between January and June being battery electric or plug-in hybrids – up from 9.6% in the same period last year.
As a new generation approaches their Ls and Ps, a new dilemma arises – is it better to learn in an electric or a petrol vehicle?
There are now 350,000 electric cars on Australian roads, says the Electric Vehicle Council's chief executive, Julie Delvecchio. Of those, about 43% are driven in outer suburban Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane – often households with solar panels, off-street parking and longer commutes – and 18% in the regions, she says.
'Given that the future of driving is electric, it just makes sense that we'd be teaching our kids on the cars that they'll be actually using in the years ahead.'
In most states, learners can drive any light car, so long as they are supervised by someone with a full Australian drivers licence.
Once on their probationary licence – in New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland, South Australia – young drivers are banned from getting behind the wheel of anything classed as a high-powered vehicle. The restriction applies to any vehicle with a power-to-weight ratio higher than 130 kilowatts per tonne, which rules out some popular electric models like Tesla's Model Y, according to EV Central.
When it comes to motorcycles, many states still require learners to start with a petrol vehicle, says Dr Chris Jones, president of the Australian Electric Vehicle Association.
'If you're going to learn how to ride a motorcycle and you want to get your open bike license – which means unrestricted power-to-weight – you do need to do that on a petrol bike with gears and a clutch. You can't do that on an EV motorcycle,' he says.
Students can take their test in an electric car, according to state and territory transport departments. Although restrictions on the use of driver support systems vary, so it's worth checking the rules for your state or territory beforehand.
For example, in NSW driver support features such as self-parking, speed assist and cruise control must be turned off during the driving test, while in Queensland they can still be used.
Some jurisdictions require the car to have a centre-mounted park brake – electric or lever – to be accessible from the front passenger seat.
Tarik Menzies from No Yelling Driving School, who manages a fleet of driving instructors across Queensland and Victoria, says occasionally parents will request their child learns in a petrol car.
For some it's about manual transmission, he says, a feature rarely found in electric vehicles. 'They think their child learning manual is a useful skill – like doing maths without the calculator.'
Learning in a manual is increasingly uncommon, however. Transport for NSW data shows in 2024 the number of manual driving tests (28,392) was a 10th of those testing for automatic (289,426).
Others are not yet ready for the change in technology, Menzies says. Even though when it comes to automatic cars, there's very little difference between learning in an electric versus a petrol car.
Kathryn Collier, who manages METEC Driver Training, says there's a couple of small differences for learners to be aware of. Electric cars often have better torque, and can be quicker off the mark, she says.
'Also be aware that your car may well be silent. So be extra vigilant in looking out for vulnerable road users like pedestrians and cyclists because they won't hear you.'
The road safety organisation, which provides school driver programs for more than 80 schools in Melbourne and Victoria, has a range of vehicles for students to learn in, including a Nissan Leaf, to give young people the experience of driving an electric vehicle.
Parents switching to a shiny new electric car might be tempted to hold on to their older model for their teenagers to learn in.
But Collier recommends young drivers learn in 'the safest car you can afford', ideally one with a five-star Ancap rating.
'A lot of young people tend to get the hand-me-down vehicles from other members of the family,' she says. 'We would argue that the most vulnerable driver should really be in the safest car possible.'
Jones says the learning process is a good opportunity to share tips about the 'non-driving bits' of driving an EV – how to use a public charger, charging etiquette and scheduling your home charging to make the most of cheap energy.
'In our experience learner drivers (and drivers generally) adapt pretty quickly when it comes to EVs', the Electric Vehicle Council's Julie Delvecchio says. 'Often, once they get in an EV … they never want to go back to petrol and diesel, because it's so smooth, so quiet and easy to drive.'
Regardless of what car they learn in, Menzies says learning to drive is an empowering experience for most young people. 'We see the joy that it brings, as well as the disappointment when they fail.'
'In our culture, getting your licence is somewhat of a right of passage for the young person becoming a big person.'
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