Outer suburban drivers are zooming past inner city-dwellers on EV uptake, new analysis by the Electric Vehicle Council (EVC) shows.
The new data compiled exclusively by the EVC shows the shift, with inner metropolitan EV orders (38.95%) being outstripped by those placed in outer metropolitan suburbs (43.29%).
The divide is even greater when combining EV uptake in outer metro, regional and rural areas (61.05%).
EVC chief executive Behyad Jafari says the data is revealing.
“I think some tired stereotypes about EVs in Australia will need to be updated,” he says.
“What this data tells us is that the average EV buyer lives in the suburbs and might well be keen to use the new car to take the kids camping on the weekend.
“They might even be thinking about towing a boat.
“Suburban EV buyers who are sensitive to the cost of living will be looking forward to no longer worrying about foreign oil spikes or costly regular repairs and services,” says Jafari.
“This demographic shift represents a new reality that opponents of EVs will rapidly have to come to terms with.
“EVs are not novel – they are now a suburban, mainstream Australian reality and that trend is only set to continue.
“We’re seeing massive EV uptake in middle-income outer suburbs, including strong uptake across western Sydney,” says Jafari.
“People residing even further away from the capital cities are also embracing electric cars – nearly 18% of EV orders are being placed in regional and rural areas.”
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