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The Advertiser
3 days ago
- Automotive
- The Advertiser
What about: Coffee prices are up in Australia, but transport costs have fallen, especially in Wagga
Australian transport costs are the most affordable in Wagga Wagga, New South Wales, and the most expensive in Launceston, Tasmania, a new report published by the Australian Automobile Association (AAA) has revealed. And while it may not be apparent to many, according to the AAA's Transport Affordability Index, the nationwide affordability of transport has fallen again in the first quarter of this year (January to March 2025). The Transport Affordability Index (TFI) monitors changes in the total price of household transport, and uses economic modelling to determine changes to transport costs relative to the Consumer Price Index (CPI) and household incomes. Hundreds of new car deals are available through CarExpert right now. Get the experts on your side and score a great deal. Browse now. The study shows Australians are now spending less on transport costs after the third consecutive quarter of reductions – but there are big variations in spending across different parts of the country. According to the latest TFI stats released this week, the average Australian household spends 15.8 per cent of its income on transport costs. Capital city households averaged 15.9 per cent, while people in regional cities were marginally better off at 15.6 per cent. It's the best affordability since 2020 but means Australians are still spending a higher proportion of their household income on transport than they did before COVID in 2019, when the figure was 13.9 per cent. "Transport costs are significantly higher than they were before the pandemic," said AAA managing director Michael Bradley in a statement. "Costs have risen across the economy and transport expenditure is one of the key drivers of inflation. Transport is a significant and unavoidable expense, and governments at all levels must consider these cost pressures when formulating policy." There are also significant variations in affordability across the country. In Tasmania, households in Hobart and Launceston were found to spend 18.2 per cent and 19.9 per cent of their incomes respectively on transport, the highest in Australia. In Brisbane – where a flat 50-cent public transport fee was introduced in 2024 as the city's car parking rates become the most expensive in Australia – the rate is 14.6 per cent. The Queensland capital fell short of bragging rights for the most affordable transport in the country, however. It was beaten by the NSW regional city of Wagga Wagga. While the raw spending figure was actually up for the March quarter, the AAA says increases in household income have more than offset that, which is how transport 'affordability' has still improved. According to the report, the increase came from higher fuel prices, with hikes of $129 a year per household in capital cities, and $194 per year for regional city households. Of course, new vehicle prices increased too, which the AAA says were offset by a fall in interest rates. Content originally sourced from: Australian transport costs are the most affordable in Wagga Wagga, New South Wales, and the most expensive in Launceston, Tasmania, a new report published by the Australian Automobile Association (AAA) has revealed. And while it may not be apparent to many, according to the AAA's Transport Affordability Index, the nationwide affordability of transport has fallen again in the first quarter of this year (January to March 2025). The Transport Affordability Index (TFI) monitors changes in the total price of household transport, and uses economic modelling to determine changes to transport costs relative to the Consumer Price Index (CPI) and household incomes. Hundreds of new car deals are available through CarExpert right now. Get the experts on your side and score a great deal. Browse now. The study shows Australians are now spending less on transport costs after the third consecutive quarter of reductions – but there are big variations in spending across different parts of the country. According to the latest TFI stats released this week, the average Australian household spends 15.8 per cent of its income on transport costs. Capital city households averaged 15.9 per cent, while people in regional cities were marginally better off at 15.6 per cent. It's the best affordability since 2020 but means Australians are still spending a higher proportion of their household income on transport than they did before COVID in 2019, when the figure was 13.9 per cent. "Transport costs are significantly higher than they were before the pandemic," said AAA managing director Michael Bradley in a statement. "Costs have risen across the economy and transport expenditure is one of the key drivers of inflation. Transport is a significant and unavoidable expense, and governments at all levels must consider these cost pressures when formulating policy." There are also significant variations in affordability across the country. In Tasmania, households in Hobart and Launceston were found to spend 18.2 per cent and 19.9 per cent of their incomes respectively on transport, the highest in Australia. In Brisbane – where a flat 50-cent public transport fee was introduced in 2024 as the city's car parking rates become the most expensive in Australia – the rate is 14.6 per cent. The Queensland capital fell short of bragging rights for the most affordable transport in the country, however. It was beaten by the NSW regional city of Wagga Wagga. While the raw spending figure was actually up for the March quarter, the AAA says increases in household income have more than offset that, which is how transport 'affordability' has still improved. According to the report, the increase came from higher fuel prices, with hikes of $129 a year per household in capital cities, and $194 per year for regional city households. Of course, new vehicle prices increased too, which the AAA says were offset by a fall in interest rates. Content originally sourced from: Australian transport costs are the most affordable in Wagga Wagga, New South Wales, and the most expensive in Launceston, Tasmania, a new report published by the Australian Automobile Association (AAA) has revealed. And while it may not be apparent to many, according to the AAA's Transport Affordability Index, the nationwide affordability of transport has fallen again in the first quarter of this year (January to March 2025). The Transport Affordability Index (TFI) monitors changes in the total price of household transport, and uses economic modelling to determine changes to transport costs relative to the Consumer Price Index (CPI) and household incomes. Hundreds of new car deals are available through CarExpert right now. Get the experts on your side and score a great deal. Browse now. The study shows Australians are now spending less on transport costs after the third consecutive quarter of reductions – but there are big variations in spending across different parts of the country. According to the latest TFI stats released this week, the average Australian household spends 15.8 per cent of its income on transport costs. Capital city households averaged 15.9 per cent, while people in regional cities were marginally better off at 15.6 per cent. It's the best affordability since 2020 but means Australians are still spending a higher proportion of their household income on transport than they did before COVID in 2019, when the figure was 13.9 per cent. "Transport costs are significantly higher than they were before the pandemic," said AAA managing director Michael Bradley in a statement. "Costs have risen across the economy and transport expenditure is one of the key drivers of inflation. Transport is a significant and unavoidable expense, and governments at all levels must consider these cost pressures when formulating policy." There are also significant variations in affordability across the country. In Tasmania, households in Hobart and Launceston were found to spend 18.2 per cent and 19.9 per cent of their incomes respectively on transport, the highest in Australia. In Brisbane – where a flat 50-cent public transport fee was introduced in 2024 as the city's car parking rates become the most expensive in Australia – the rate is 14.6 per cent. The Queensland capital fell short of bragging rights for the most affordable transport in the country, however. It was beaten by the NSW regional city of Wagga Wagga. While the raw spending figure was actually up for the March quarter, the AAA says increases in household income have more than offset that, which is how transport 'affordability' has still improved. According to the report, the increase came from higher fuel prices, with hikes of $129 a year per household in capital cities, and $194 per year for regional city households. Of course, new vehicle prices increased too, which the AAA says were offset by a fall in interest rates. Content originally sourced from: Australian transport costs are the most affordable in Wagga Wagga, New South Wales, and the most expensive in Launceston, Tasmania, a new report published by the Australian Automobile Association (AAA) has revealed. And while it may not be apparent to many, according to the AAA's Transport Affordability Index, the nationwide affordability of transport has fallen again in the first quarter of this year (January to March 2025). The Transport Affordability Index (TFI) monitors changes in the total price of household transport, and uses economic modelling to determine changes to transport costs relative to the Consumer Price Index (CPI) and household incomes. Hundreds of new car deals are available through CarExpert right now. Get the experts on your side and score a great deal. Browse now. The study shows Australians are now spending less on transport costs after the third consecutive quarter of reductions – but there are big variations in spending across different parts of the country. According to the latest TFI stats released this week, the average Australian household spends 15.8 per cent of its income on transport costs. Capital city households averaged 15.9 per cent, while people in regional cities were marginally better off at 15.6 per cent. It's the best affordability since 2020 but means Australians are still spending a higher proportion of their household income on transport than they did before COVID in 2019, when the figure was 13.9 per cent. "Transport costs are significantly higher than they were before the pandemic," said AAA managing director Michael Bradley in a statement. "Costs have risen across the economy and transport expenditure is one of the key drivers of inflation. Transport is a significant and unavoidable expense, and governments at all levels must consider these cost pressures when formulating policy." There are also significant variations in affordability across the country. In Tasmania, households in Hobart and Launceston were found to spend 18.2 per cent and 19.9 per cent of their incomes respectively on transport, the highest in Australia. In Brisbane – where a flat 50-cent public transport fee was introduced in 2024 as the city's car parking rates become the most expensive in Australia – the rate is 14.6 per cent. The Queensland capital fell short of bragging rights for the most affordable transport in the country, however. It was beaten by the NSW regional city of Wagga Wagga. While the raw spending figure was actually up for the March quarter, the AAA says increases in household income have more than offset that, which is how transport 'affordability' has still improved. According to the report, the increase came from higher fuel prices, with hikes of $129 a year per household in capital cities, and $194 per year for regional city households. Of course, new vehicle prices increased too, which the AAA says were offset by a fall in interest rates. Content originally sourced from:
Daily Telegraph
22-05-2025
- Automotive
- Daily Telegraph
EV sales in Australia drop to lowest level in two years: AAA
Don't miss out on the headlines from Motoring News. Followed categories will be added to My News. Electric vehicle sales in Australia have sunk to their lowest level in two years as more Aussies turn to the 'range safety' of traditional combustion engines or plug-in hybrids. Data from the Australian Automobile Association revealed just 17,914 EVs were sold in the first three months of 2025 or just over 6 per cent of all vehicle sales in the country. The AAA quarterly vehicle report showed the last time EV sales were at that level was in 2023 when 17,396 cars were sold during the same period. The 2025 data also shows EVs have dropped market share when compared to the final three months of 2024 – 21,331 EVs were sold in the last quarter of 2024 to make up 7.42 per cent of the country's vehicle sales. That represents a drop of 1.12 per cent in market share quarter to quarter. MORE:Car prices set to plummet EV sales in Australia have dropped to a two-year low. Picture: NCA NewsWire/Naomi Jellicoe MORE:First look: Car ready to take over Australia Industry experts say the government's attitude to EV subsidies has a massive part to play in consumer sentiment. Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries boss Tony Weber told he doesn't believe EV sales can recover without proper government support. 'Subsidies remain central to the success of EV policy in many leading markets. In European markets and other markets around the world, including New Zealand, demand for electric vehicles softened when governments reduced subsidies,' he said. While the drop would be of some concern to the EV industry it hasn't come at the expense of the environment. While Aussies have steered slightly away of outright EVs, it hasn't been a return to petrol-only engines either. MORE:Bad news for electric vehicles in Australia Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries CEO Tony Weber believes EV sales will only increase with government support. MORE:Staggering loss proves Cybertruck is dead Hybrid vehicles have boomed as Australians look for an environmental alternative that also includes the safety net of a combustion engine that allows greater distance range and less time to charge and get going. Plug-in hybrid sales almost doubled in the first three months of 2025 to 13,698 or almost 5 per cent of the market. That's up from 7556 sales (2.63 per cent) in the last quarter of 2024. The number of conventional hybrid vehicles sold increased from 42,618 to 46,115 over the same period. Vehicles with traditional petrol engines continued to make up the vast number of sales in Australia for the first quarter of 2025 but did experience a drop. EVs are flooding into Australia from China but less people are buying them in 2025. More than 206,800 vehicles were sold, comprising 72.68% of all sales in Australia. Those figures represent a drop of about 10,000 sales and almost 2.5 per cent market share compared to the end of 2024. Despite the drop in EV sales, the industry is confident transactions will recover. 'We expect that segment of the market to bounce back given a post-FBT exemption dip was always to be expected,' Electric Vehicle Council's Aman Guar told 'Once someone chooses an EV of any kind they are very unlikely to ever go back to traditional cars again. The day-to-day convenience, the pleasurable driving experience, and the cost of living benefits of EVs combine into a very attractive package and these attractions are only going to grow stronger.' Originally published as EV sales in Australia drop to lowest level in two years: AAA
The Guardian
21-05-2025
- Automotive
- The Guardian
Electric vehicle sales hit two-year low in Australia as hybrid cars boom
The number of battery electric vehicles sold in Australia has fallen to its lowest level in two years as Australians continue buying traditional internal-combustion cars or turn to conventional and plug-in hybrids, according to the nation's peak motoring body. There were 17,914 new battery electric vehicles sold in the first three months of this year, according to the Australian Automobile Association (AAA), equivalent to 6.3% of all new car sales. The last time the number of new electric vehicles sold was this low was in the first three months of 2023, when 17,396 cars were sold, the AAA's quarterly electric vehicle report said. Sign up for Guardian Australia's breaking news email This year's first quarter figures also represent a decline in market share compared to the final quarter of 2024, when battery EVs made up 7.42% of new car sales with 21,331 sold, the AAA figures showed. Vehicles with traditional internal combustion engines continued to dominate even though they too dropped in popularity, with 206,810 sold in the March quarter, or 72.68% of all new car sales. In the final three months of 2024, 215,789 cars with internal combustion engines were sold, working out to 75.1% of the market, the AAA's report said. At the same time, however, sales of conventional hybrid cars – which combine a petrol or diesel engine with an electric motor – and plug-in hybrids, which also contain a chargeable battery – boomed. The number of plug-in-hybrids sold nearly doubled to 13,698 – 4.81% of the market – in the first three months of this year compared with 7,556 sales – 2.63% of the market - in the final quarter of 2024. The number of conventional hybrid vehicles sold increased from 42,618 to 46,115 over the same period. To compile its reports, the AAA says it collates information from a range of sources including car sales data from two peak manufacturing bodies – the Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries and the Electric Vehicle Council. Overall, car sales fell by 0.96% in the March quarter, the report said. The decline in the number of electric vehicles sold came in the immediate wake of the federal government's national vehicle efficiency standard coming into effect on 1 January. Introduced by the Albanese government in its first term, the standard is designed to bring more fuel-efficient cars into the market by penalising manufacturers of high-polluting vehicles if they exceed an emissions cap. The cap – which the government has said will be lowered over time – applies to new cars, in an effort to incentivise carmakers to supply low-and zero-emissions vehicles to Australia. It was expected the standard would lower the cost of electric vehicles by making it cheaper and easier to bring them into the market. The government has said the standard will reduce greenhouse gas emissions from new passenger vehicles by more than 60% by 2030. The standard forms part of the government's plan to achieve its commitment to lower greenhouse gas emissions to 43% below 2005 levels by 2030 and achieve net-zero emissions by 2050. The climate change and energy minister, Chris Bowen, has been contacted for comment.
Daily Mail
05-05-2025
- Automotive
- Daily Mail
Shocking study exposes how some hybrid cars use more fuel than their petrol equivalents
They are sold as vehicles that will cut petrol consumption but tests on Australian roads show some hybrid cars use more fuel than standard models. In one case, a mild hybrid vehicle used 12 per cent more petrol than its internal combustion equivalent on highways and a conventional hybrid used almost three per cent more fuel. The Australian Automobile Association revealed the findings on Monday in an analysis of 16 real-world tests on hybrid and petrol vehicles from five brands. The news follows a spike in the popularity of hybrid cars, with sales of new models rising by more than 34 per cent in Australia over the past year. The real-world tests performed in Victoria showed three out of four Toyota hybrid vehicles cut petrol use by more than 30 per cent on average, while a Honda CR-V hybrid and a mild hybrid Suzuki Swift reduced fuel consumption by 23 and 17 per cent, respectively. But GWM's Jolion hybrid vehicle cut consumption by significantly less than promised, with a 17 per cent fuel saving compared to 38 per cent indicated by laboratory tests. The association tested 16 vehicles including six conventional hybrid cars, two mild hybrid vehicles and their petrol equivalents. Mild hybrid vehicles feature a small battery and electric motor to assist a petrol engine during short bursts and both hybrid styles promise to cut petrol consumption. It also used more petrol than the standard Jolion model when travelling on highways. The Subaru Forester mild hybrid used more petrol than its internal combustion equivalent by 2.8 per cent on average, although the model has been discontinued. The findings were stark given hybrids often commanded a higher price than petrol vehicles, Australian Automobile Association managing director Michael Bradley said. 'Our program continues to show that lab test results on the windscreens of new cars can differ significantly from real-world performance and cost-focused customers should do their research before spending their money,' he said. Tests revealed hybrid vehicles were significantly more fuel-efficient on urban areas than rural roads and were at their least efficient on highways. The Toyota Camry hybrid vehicle cut fuel consumption by 50 per cent on city roads, but only 13 per cent on highways. The discrepancy was common for hybrid vehicles but many consumers were not aware of it, Australian Electric Vehicle Association national president Chris Jones said. 'The conventional hybrid, which is basically a very efficient petrol vehicle, has been optimised for start-stop traffic and that's where most driving in Australia is done,' he said. 'It's that optimisation for the low speeds that has resulted in a decline in the efficiency at high speeds.' As a result, conventional hybrid vehicles may not be as useful for drivers in regional or rural Australia as a plug-in hybrid or an electric vehicle, Dr Jones said. Australian motorists bought more than 47,000 new hybrid cars in the first three months of 2025, according to the Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries.
Yahoo
14-04-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Some hybrid cars thirstier than their petrol peers
They are sold as vehicles that will cut petrol consumption but tests on Australian roads show some hybrid cars use more fuel than standard models. In one case, a mild hybrid vehicle used 12 per cent more petrol than its internal combustion equivalent on highways and a conventional hybrid used almost three per cent more fuel. The Australian Automobile Association revealed the findings on Monday in an analysis of 16 real-world tests on hybrid and petrol vehicles from five brands. The news follows a spike in the popularity of hybrid cars, with sales of new models rising by more than 34 per cent in Australia over the past year. The association tested 16 vehicles including six conventional hybrid cars, two mild hybrid vehicles and their petrol equivalents. Mild hybrid vehicles feature a small battery and electric motor to assist a petrol engine during short bursts and both hybrid styles promise to cut petrol consumption. The real-world tests performed in Victoria showed three out of four Toyota hybrid vehicles cut petrol use by more than 30 per cent on average, while a Honda CR-V hybrid and a mild hybrid Suzuki Swift reduced fuel consumption by 23 and 17 per cent, respectively. But GWM's Jolion hybrid vehicle cut consumption by significantly less than promised, with a 17 per cent fuel saving compared to 38 per cent indicated by laboratory tests. It also used more petrol than the standard Jolion model when travelling on highways. The Subaru Forester mild hybrid used more petrol than its internal combustion equivalent by 2.8 per cent on average, although the model has been discontinued. The findings were stark given hybrids often commanded a higher price than petrol vehicles, Australian Automobile Association managing director Michael Bradley said. "Our program continues to show that lab test results on the windscreens of new cars can differ significantly from real-world performance and cost-focused customers should do their research before spending their money," he said. Tests revealed hybrid vehicles were significantly more fuel-efficient on urban areas than rural roads and were at their least efficient on highways. The Toyota Camry hybrid vehicle cut fuel consumption by 50 per cent on city roads, but only 13 per cent on highways. The discrepancy was common for hybrid vehicles but many consumers were not aware of it, Australian Electric Vehicle Association national president Chris Jones said. "The conventional hybrid, which is basically a very efficient petrol vehicle, has been optimised for start-stop traffic and that's where most driving in Australia is done," he said. "It's that optimisation for the low speeds that has resulted in a decline in the efficiency at high speeds." As a result, conventional hybrid vehicles may not be as useful for drivers in regional or rural Australia as a plug-in hybrid or an electric vehicle, Dr Jones said. Australian motorists bought more than 47,000 new hybrid cars in the first three months of 2025, according to the Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries.
