Australia's slow uptake of electric vehicles has been linked to consumer preferences, the low price of oil and a lack of infrastructure. But for the average family, the biggest barrier has surely been price. Pia Peterson's company has four electric cars. Credit:Louise Kennerley To buy their Tesla Model S 70 last year, the Sundarajs spent $125,000, a cost Ms Sundaraj acknowledges is "not for everyone". "I do feel that we're very lucky to be able to afford [an electric car]. But, if you look at the other cars at school pick-up, there are plenty in the same price range, belching out fumes." Ms Sundaraj said the electric car was an environmental decision, complementing their hydro energy-powered home in Drummoyne, where she charges the car every night at off-peak rates.

"I feel less guilty about driving, especially to Melbourne. Usually we would go through two tanks of petrol, at about $100 each." "I feel less guilty about driving": Belinda Sundaraj with her children and the family's electric car. Credit:Louise Kennerley With Tesla supercharge stations now dotted along the route, "we stop to charge once for 30 minutes". The three major manufacturers producing electric vehicles on the Australian market include Nissan (for about $55,000), BMW ($70,000) and Tesla (starting price, $130,000). All remain somewhat unappealing for most Australian families, said Craig Froome, program manager for clean energy at the University of Queensland.

"But with the rate of deployment and battery technology, I am hopeful we could see a $30,000 electric vehicle in probably about five years." Mr Froome said electric vehicles in Australia would remain "ideal in the second vehicle category" until governments supported the roll-out of infrastructure such as public charging stations on highways or in shopping centres. "It's going to be many decades before we get an electric vehicle that gets across the Nullarbor," he says. The newest Tesla Model 3, due for release by the end of 2017, is touted to be more affordable at about US$35,000 ($47,500). Domestic transport is the second largest energy user in Australia, accounting for about 17 per cent of greenhouse emissions.

It was this statistic that caught the attention of Pia Peterson, who saw a "gap in the market" when she launched Australia's first zero emissions chauffeur service. Her business, Evoke, has four Teslas, saving 1000 litres of petrol and 2½ tonnes of carbon dioxide every week, she said. She also has an electric car for personal use. "It costs $8 to $10 to charge the car from empty to full," Ms Peterson said. "We spend about $4.20 a week on green power sourced from wind and solar. This is charged off-peak and we drive the equivalent of 40 kilometres a day." A recent report by Energeia for the Energy Supply Association of Australia found that, without assistance, cumulative electric vehicle sales could reach 3.4 million vehicles – or 18 per cent of Australia's vehicle fleet – by 2035. One of the key determiners for mass market uptake will be the price of oil, said Dr Liam Wagner, an economist at the Griffith University Business School.

"It's really not going to happen to until the oil price kicks up to about $180-$200 a barrel." When uptake does increase, Dr Wagner said there was potential for significant consequences on Australia's electricity network, if it was not controlled. He said uncontrolled charging in 2020-2030 could increase the frequency of partial to full blackouts from 10 minutes a year to 78 hours a year by 2030, "if investment in electricity generation is not increased significantly". Energy consultant Ben Waters, who drives an electric Nissan Leaf, agreed that, without much-needed infrastructure, Australia would struggle to take advantage of the technology. "It needs better leadership saying, this is the transition that's coming, we can lag it or lead it."

A spokesperson for the federal Minister for Major Projects Paul Fletcher said a ministerial forum would report later this year on "the role of electric vehicles and electric vehicle charging infrastructure". Latest consumer news