Australian startup launches electric HiLux conversion to market
Australia’s electric vehicle revolution is underway in 2022, with a small range of makes and models currently available to buy from overseas manufacturers. But with import costs and stamp duty still the highest in the world, the cost of buying even a bottom-of-range EV remains out of reach for 98% of Aussies. This includes the millions who are waiting for an electric – and affordable – version of the country’s favourite ute, the Toyota HiLux. While Aussies continue to wait, one local tech startup has beaten manufacturing giant Toyota to the punch. Roev has created an electric HiLux by converting an existing ute, and is set to release electric HiLux conversion to the fleet market soon as a cheaper, on-shore alternative to importing from overseas.
Australia’s long wait for affordable EVs
In a poll conducted by the Sydney Morning Herald in October 2021, half of the 1600 respondents said the high cost of an EV was the reason they weren’t considering buying one. This isn’t particularly surprising: most of the 31 models available in Australia cost around $60,000, already double or even triple the average cost of a diesel or petrol car. Others said it was the lack of EV charging infrastructure, which Australia has been slow to invest in compared to other countries around the world. This roadblock to EV uptake hasn’t been addressed by state or federal governments, which are yet to offer significant incentives or policies to reduce or remove import costs. This means that manufacturers are reluctant to attempt to sell EVs in Australia.
