Should Australia build electric vehicles?

According to the latest from the Carmichael Centre of the Australian Institute, Australia could benefit greatly from establishing a manufacturing sector.

The report notes that Australia's renewable energy potential, mineral resources and highly skilled workforce make it the best place to make electric vehicles.

Dr Mark Dean, a research fellow at the Carmichael Center and lead author, said: "Due to the resilience of our remaining automotive supply chain, there are still an astonishing number of automotive manufacturing jobs here – including components, special vehicles and engineering. ”

The report outlines a range of initiatives and policies the government needs to kick-start the industry, including tax incentives to encourage the processing of raw mined materials on shore, particularly lithium for batteries, a long-term vocational education strategy that incentivizes global manufacturers to set up here, quickly power government fleets with local cars, and establish an electric vehicle manufacturing commission.

Gail Broadbent, an electric vehicle absorption researcher at the University of New South Wales who was not involved in writing the report, said: "We used to own this industry. ”

"It only closed four years ago, so there's no reason to keep the educated, skilled workforce out there."

In addition to the existing skilled workforce, the report notes that much of the engineering infrastructure needed to build vehicles still exists and can be reused.

Broadbent said: "The report rightly states that we have the minerals that make batteries, and we have all the materials we need to make cars – so there's no reason not to add value." ”

In Australia, there are places where existing manufacturing has reinvented itself, linked to advanced technologies.

The report highlights the location of mitsubishi's old factory on the southern outskirts of Adelaide as an example of government support that sparked such developments.

Giselle Rampersad, Professor of Innovation at Flinders University's Thornsley Campus, said: "The Tonsley Innovation Zone will be an excellent location for electric vehicle manufacturing. He was also not involved in writing the report.

"It includes an innovation ecosystem of large companies, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and is based on the education sector and the vet and training sectors of [Flinders]."

While defense is key to these developments, Rampersad said, "SMEs operate in several manufacturing sectors, with the intention that spillover effects can be felt in other sectors, such as eviction manufacturing." ”

According to Rampersad, the areas of education that need to be focused on establishing an EV manufacturing workforce include "engineering (mechanical, robotic, electrical and electronic) and computing (IT and cybersecurity), as do electric vehicles require intelligent systems to track usage, as well as new advances related to autonomous functions."

While the industry is clearly not going to start from scratch, EV makers still need significant government investment to get up and running — and more work is needed to ensure locals buy electric cars.

Broadbent said one of the best ways to encourage local acceptance would be for governments to ensure they would prioritize buying Australian-made electric vehicles for their fleets — another initiative the report suggests. Such policies not only provide confidence to manufacturers, but also have a social impact.

Broadbent said: "It sends a message to the country that the government thinks they are good enough to buy. ”

This is also a way of normalizing vehicles.

Broadbent said: "All workers who use them in the workplace can use them without having to bother buying them. "They can see how they work, they can appreciate the benefits, and that's sparked a lot of conversation."

That's why some state governments are currently planning to transition their fleets to electric vehicles, even without local manufacturing.

Price and infrastructure are more complex issues that need to be addressed. Extensive charging stations, better incentives to buy and sell electric vehicles, and better pollution regulations are needed to make the use of electric vehicles more widespread.

Broadbent said: "People want infrastructure, and without infrastructure, this is not going to happen. ”

"Electrification is a journey," Rampersad said, noting that electric vehicles are part of the transition to more advanced automotive systems such as solar cars. "Electric vehicle manufacturing is an important stepping stone to strengthening manufacturing capabilities to shape a bright future."