When will Labor start to understand electric vehicles? Awkwardness for Albo as he launches his $200,000 Mercedes electric car policy NOBODY could afford that hasn’t been released in YEARS – after Bill Shorten’s “8-10 minutes to charge” radio blooper
- Labor will spend $500m to build more electric car charging stations
- But it advertised its policy with an image of a $200,000 car, which is not released
- Liberal Senator Hollie Hughes said most Australians could not afford the vehicle
- Mr Albanese wants Aussies to be able to travel across the nation in an electric car
Labor has come under fire for beefing up its electric vehicle policy with an ad featuring a $200,000 Mercedes that won’t be released until 2024.
The ad shared on social media shows an image of the Mercedes Vision EQXX, which can travel more than 1,000 km on a single charge.
In a Twitter post alongside the ad, Labor mocked Scott Morrison’s 2019 scare campaign that Labor’s car emissions reduction policy would “end the weekend”.
Labor has boosted its electric vehicle policy with an ad featuring a $200,000 Mercedes that will not be released until 2024
The car (pictured on the Mercedes website) is estimated at $200,000
“Scott Morrison may have scared Australia by claiming EVs will end the weekend,” but under a @AlboMP Labor Govt, ‘range anxiety’ will be a thing of the past,” it said.
“With 117 fast charging stations on motorways across Australia, you can fuel up your weekend and help save the planet.”
However, the car used in the ad is not scheduled to go on sale until 2024, and auto experts estimate it will cost around $200,000 – a price far too expensive for the vast majority of Labor supporters.
A major criticism of electric cars is that they start at around $50,000 — although the price will come down over time.
Liberal Senator Hollie Hughes said: “Labour wants Australian families to buy electric cars that won’t come until 2024 and at a price that is beyond most Australians’ reach, just to further their ill-conceived policies.”
Daily Mail Australia has reached out to Labor for comment.
Former Labor leader Bill Shorten has also been criticized for his electric car policy – and has been criticized for taking vehicles 8 to 10 minutes to charge.
In a 2019 KIIS FM radio interview, he said, “Oh it may take, um… it depends on what your initial charge is, but it may take, um, 8 to 10 minutes depending on your charge, it may take longer.’
It actually takes at least half an hour.
Shadow Minister for Climate Change Chris Bowen, Opposition Leader Anthony Albanese and Shadow Minister for Industry Ed Husic (left to right) with an electric vehicle at a Sydney car dealership in March
Earlier this week, Mr Albanese announced Labor will build a national electric vehicle charging network as part of a $500m Driving the Nation fund.
Charging stations will be placed 150km apart on major roads and the NRMA has offered to provide $39 million to build these charging stations.
“It means you can drive an electric vehicle across the country – from Adelaide to Perth, from Brisbane to Mount Isa,” Mr Albanese said on Sunday.
“Imagine a future where you don’t have to worry about gas bills. We can get there, but we need government to lay the groundwork for it.’
Labor will also spend $80 million on 16 hydrogen fueling stations along busiest freight routes.
Labor’s $500 million pledge is double the Coalition’s $250 million Future Fuels Fund, which provides grants for electric vehicle infrastructure.
