Planning and Infrastructure Minister Alannah MacTiernan has announced plans to trial 50 small zero emission vehicles on WA roads in what she says is a move to deal with climate change, contingent on Federal Government approval.
Planning and Infrastructure Minister Alannah MacTiernan has announced plans to trial 50 small zero emission vehicles on WA roads in what she says is a move to deal with climate change, contingent on Federal Government approval.
Planning and Infrastructure Minister Alannah MacTiernan has announced plans to trial 50 small zero emission vehicles on WA roads in what she says is a move to deal with climate change, contingent on Federal Government approval.
The full text of a government announcement is pasted below
The State Government will allow a trial of 50 small zero emission vehicles, making Western Australia the first and only State to do so, provided the Federal Government permits the cars to be imported into Australia.
Planning and Infrastructure Minister Alannah MacTiernan today said the trial was another step towards diversifying Western Australia's transport mix and dealing with the challenge of climate change.
"These types of electric vehicles are already a common sight on London's streets where they also attract benefits such as free parking, on street recharging points, and exemption from the congestion charge," Ms MacTiernan said.
"With a maximum speed of around 70km/h and a range of 100km, the vehicles have very low running costs and when recharged using renewable energy such as GreenPower, produce no particulate or greenhouse gas emissions.
"Even with ordinary electrical energy it is still far more greenhouse friendly than any other low emission vehicle on the road."
In the past, safety concerns had been raised as the reason for blocking the use of these vehicles in Australia.
Statistics obtained from the French Government suggested that quadricycles (including ZEV-lites) had lower accident and fatality rates than cars, motorbikes and mopeds.
The WA trial would enable a limited number of ZEV-lites to be closely monitored to assess the vehicle's performance under Australian road conditions.
The Federal Government had previously declined to issue import approvals for ZEV-lites claiming that no State had showed an interest in registering the vehicles.
"We urge the Federal Government to reconsider this decision given that WA has confirmed it is prepared to shoulder the burden of managing the trial of the vehicles," she said.
Ms MacTiernan said that a combination of climate change and peak oil would require significant changes in the transport sector and that ZEV-lites could offer a versatile and environmentally sound transport option.