The New import regulations from Dec 2019 will allow the direct import of ANY hybrid and/or electric car to Australia – as long as it was not sold here new.
Even for hybrid electric car models that were sold here new, variants of those models will still be allowed for import providing they are “significantly different“ to the locally sold model.
Why would you want Hybrid / Electric Cars?
The main attraction for consumers other than feeling good about doing something to combat climate change is that hybrid vehicles typically use between 2.7 to 6L / 100 km.
Most hybrids also have a driving range considerably higher than standard internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles, with 1,000 km to 1,500 km fairly typical depending on size, weight and of course fuel tank capacity – which is a great time saver as it reduces refueling stops by at least 50%.
Electric vehicles are quiet and have much lower running costs – this all depends on fuel prices and electricity rates which vary, but currently, for most Australians, the $ / km of an electric car would generally be about 25% of a standard vehicle as a general guide.
Maintenance is also minimal due to many fewer moving parts and regenerative braking allowing the brake pads to last much longer than a regular car. The need for oil changes and timing belts is gone and owner’s of electric cars are really only left with brakes, steering, electrical, suspension and tyres.
Electric cars obviously have zero emissions at the source so are great for local air quality – of course their underlying efficiency relates to the source of the electricity in the first place which is still predominantly produced from fossil fuels. And you need to consider the efficiency of producing the electricity plus line losses in delivery, and further efficiency losses in charging / discharging.
In time the hope of course is that a move to renewable energy sources coupled with battery storage to stabilise the grid (and in particular the ability to charge your electric car using stored energy from your home solar system) will lead to as close to a nil greenhouse gas emissions transport option as is possible.
We are just at the start
We are just at the start of the hybrid electric car revolution with solar and wind technologies set to advance dramatically in coming years, along with hybrid electric car technologies as these all move towards the mainstream and receive more Government support as the public pushes for change.
In the not too distant future, ICE vehicles will be seen in a negative light, and we will wonder how we ever hung onto them for so long and changes to the Australian Market for Hybrid Electric Car Import will have a big impact.
We can already import the Nissan Leaf Gen 1 fully electric (Gen 2 coming soon), Nissan Note e-Power hybrid, Nissan NV200 electric van, Toyota Crown hybrid, Toyota Harrier hybrid, Toyota Alphard and Vellfire hybrids, Toyota Noah hybrid, Voxy hybrid and Esquire hybrid.
Many other hybrid electric car import options are coming soon to Australia such as the Smart Fortwo Electric Drive, Nissan Fuga hybrid, Nissan Serena S-hybrid, Serena e-Power, and Toyota Estima hybrid.
Manufacturers are currently offering a combination of fully electric and internal combustion engine (ICE) hybrid options using a range of different technologies – we will provide more details on these technologies in due course so you can understand the differences between them and decide which suits your needs best.
If you wish to import a vehicle, please contact us below and we will discuss what are the best options and ways to go about this.
