Benefits of EVs

How EVs benefit you and the environment.

Electric vehicles (EVs) are changing the way we drive and offer a host of benefits for owners and the environment, from saving money to reducing emissions.

Increasing the number of EVs on Queensland roads will help the state reach its 75% emissions reduction target (below 2005 levels) by 2035 and zero net emissions by 2050.

Queensland's Zero Emission Vehicle Strategy and Action Plan offers incentives to promote the uptake of electric vehicles (EVs).

Saving money

EVs are cheaper to run and have lower servicing costs than petrol and diesel-powered vehicles. These lower running costs help offset the higher up-front purchase costs.

While EVs are currently more expensive to purchase, over the life of the vehicle they are comparatively cheaper than an equivalent petrol vehicle.

For a family passenger sedan, an EV could save about $2,000 per year when compared to a petrol vehicle.

In Australia’s most popular vehicle segment, an SUV EV could save on average approximately $3,500 per year when compared to a petrol vehicle—that’s an average saving of about $70 per week.

The Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) predicts households that fully switch to EVs by 2030 will spend $30,000 less in 20 years than their neighbour who doesn’t make the switch.

Solar-powered charging at home

One-in-three Queensland households have rooftop solar, meaning they can charge their cars at home, powered by the Queensland sun.

On average, a rooftop photovoltaic (PV) system is going up across the state every 10 minutes.

EVs powering ‘smart’ homes

‘Smart’ homes that draw power from electric vehicles are closer than you may think.

EVs will not just get people from A to B—they will:

help reduce the cost of living for Queenslanders.
help power our homes and businesses with reliable, affordable and renewable energy.
be a mobile power bank that you can tap into at any time.

Advancements in technology

The first bi-directional chargers are being tested in Australia.

While trials and availability are limited, there are EVs on the market with enough battery capacity to power the average home for a couple of days—and storage capacity is increasing all the time.

Drivers can power appliances during picnics or camping trips in remote locations with technology known as Vehicle to Load (V2L).

Bi-directional work vans will enable tradespeople and subcontractors to drive l from job to job, power their tools and still have enough battery to drive home.

With Vehicle to Grid (V2G) technology, EVs could potentially make homeowners money by selling their excess energy back to the grid..

And if enough EVs are plugged into the mains with bi-directional chargers—and linked by software to a Virtual Power Plant (VPP)—they can be used like a large commercial-scale battery.

At times of day when there's lots of cheap solar and wind power available, the VPP directs the EVs to charge their batteries and retain this excess energy.

For organisations that own lots of cars, this presents an opportunity to make money, even when the vehicles are not in use.

Environmental benefits

The increasing number of electric cars in Queensland is helping cut down on emissions.

The transport industry is the third-highest-emitting sector in the state, accounting for 17.3% of total greenhouse gas emissions.

However, since the first Queensland Electric Super Highway (QESH) site opened in 2017, there have been more than 201,000 charging sessions (figures as at 30 April 2024).

These charging sessions have powered EVs for more than 21 million kilometres, avoiding up to 5,600 tonnes of CO2 lifecycle emissions from petrol and diesel cars. This is the equivalent of t 1,810 petrol-powered vehicles off the road.

For more tips on charging your EV, including the best time to charge, go to the Queensland Government’s electric vehicle and charging page.

Last updated: 23 September 2024