New data has revealed electric vehicle interest is peaking in the Top End.
According to carsales.com searches for EV’s in Darwin have jumped up by 102% in the last 12 months.
Editor in chief Mike Sinclair says the initial cost of the cars is holding people back but in the long-run they’re much cheaper to run.
“At the most expensive rate the cost to fill an electric car is immensely cheaper than any diesel or petrol cars,” Sinclair said.
“In the order of somewhere between $9 and $18 to fill the battery in your bigger electric car compared to upwards of $100 to put a tank of fuel in your car.”
The first EV ute’s are set to hit the market in Australia by the end of the year.
The Chinese brand LDV is set to be the first model imported to Australia says Sinclair.
“It won’t be an all wheel drive it will be a rear wheel drive,” he said.
“Probably with a range of 300-400 kilometres.
“It’s I guess a toe in the water for the industry.”
Sinclair says there’s also been an exciting increase in domestic companies converting combustable engines to electric ones.
“One of the one’s that’s most interesting is a company called Roev,” he said.
“They’re based on the Sunshine Coast in Queensland and they are about to commence conversions of Ford Rangers and Toyota Hilux’s.
“But with the longterm view of actually building a proper four wheel drive.”
