Energy Minister Josh Frydenberg has defied Coalition critics on electric cars, vowing the Turnbull government will support the fledgling technology and insisting it is better for the environment than traditional cars.

Mr Frydenberg this month kickstarted debate on the issue in an interview and opinion piece for Fairfax Media, predicting more than one million electric vehicles would be on Australian roads by 2030 and likening the revolution to the introduction of the iPhone.

He did not pledge concrete government action to encourage electric vehicle uptake but promised better co-ordination, including with the states, on research and development, charging infrastructure planning, vehicle fleet targets and financial incentives.

The comments provoked concern from Liberal MP and climate sceptic Craig Kelly, who believes giving tax breaks to electric vehicle buyers risks increasing greenhouse gas emissions.