‘We'll be left behind': Greens want 2030 ban on fossil-fuel car sales

All sales of new petrol and diesel-powered cars would be banned by 2030 to spur the take-up of electric vehicles, according to a Greens policy aimed at winning over voters in this weekend's byelection in the Melbourne electorate of Batman.

The road ahead will be one for electric vehicles if the Greens policy gains traction.

Such a goal would bring Australia into line with nations such as India and the Netherlands - which have targets of phasing out sales of new cars powered by combustion engines by 2030 - and slice deeply into a net import fuel bill now running at about $16 billion a year, the Electric Vehicle Council said.

Read Peter Hannam’s story from The Age - “‘We'll be left behind': Greens want 2030 ban on fossil-fuel car sales.”

Barnaby Joyce rejects petrol car sales ban amid Coalition debate on electric vehicles

Transport Minister Barnaby Joyce has quashed the prospect of Australia replicating overseas bans on the sale of new petrol and diesel cars, as the Turnbull government debates whether to encourage the electric vehicle industry.

Barnaby Joyce: ''Australia's transport policies
are modelled on Australia's needs."

Environment and Energy Minister Josh Frydenberg this week strongly backed the prospects of electric vehicles in Australia against opposition from conservative backbenchers. He told Sky News on Tuesday that critics who ridiculed the technology would "probably be the ones buying them in a decade's time".

Read Nicole Hasham’s story in today’s Melbourne Age - “Barnaby Joyce rejects petrol car sales ban amid Coalition debate on electric vehicles.”

China’s indication to ban sale of non-electric cars a 'tipping point' for global industry

The world's largest car market, China, has indicated it will follow countries like France and Britain in moving to ban the sale of new petrol and diesel engines.

Industry analysts say China could implement the
 ban much sooner than European markets.

The Chinese Government has not said when the full ban on petrol and diesel car sales would take effect, but other countries like the UK and France aim to do it by about 2040.

The decision could see China, which makes and buys more cars than any other country, send shockwaves across the global auto manufacturing sector.

"The message would be out there, and all the other the manufacturers in the world that want to sell in China desperately will realise that the writing is on the wall," industry analyst Gary Glazebrook said.

Read the ABC News story by George Roberts - “China’s indication to ban sale of non-electric cars a 'tipping point' for global industry.”