By Pranav Harish For Daily Mail Australia
01:41 07 Jul 2024, updated 01:49 07 Jul 2024
Aussie motorists in one state are being offered a massive $6,000 to buy electric vehicles in a bid to entice more drivers to make the switch from petrol cars.
Drivers in Queensland will receive the rebate if they purchase an EV worth less than $68,000 on or after April 21, 2023.
Consumers must receive a taxable income equal to or less than $180,000 a year to be eligible.
Queenslanders will also be eligible for the huge payment if they purchased an EV worth less than $58,000 between March 16, 2022 and April 20, 2023.
The incentive is part of the Queensland Zero Emissions Rebate Scheme, which came into effect in July 2023.
The state government committed $45million dollars to fund the program for a decade up until 2032.
The initiative was created to make electric vehicles more affordable for individuals and businesses.
Motorists are also eligible for a separate $3,000 rebate if the EV is worth up to $58,000 or $68,000.
Businesses in the Sunshine State will not be eligible for the $6,000 payment, however they can apply for the $3,000 rebate.
The payment will only be provided if the vehicle was bought after March 16, 2022 and if the business previously received a $3,000 rebate as part of the scheme.
Buying an EV in Australia remains expensive as people continue to struggle with the cost of living crisis driven by inflation and consecutive rises to interest rates.
The average price of an electric vehicle in Australia is around $50,000.
Data obtained by drive.com.au showed the average price was around $86,000 for the first half of 2023.
The average price of petrol and diesel cars, utes and SUVs was $54,600 during the same period.
The most affordable electric car in Australia is the GWM Ora Hatchback, which is valued at $35,990.
The next cheapest model is the BYD Dolphin Hatchback with the price starting at $36,890 before on-road costs.
Australia has become a key market for electric vehicle manufacturers who are competing to provide affordable EVs.
American automaker Tesla faces strong competition from Chinese firm BYD, which set a record in May with the sale of 1,914 vehicles in Australia.
The figure compares to Tesla’s 3,567 cars that were sold during the same period.
Sales of electric vehicles remain steady across the country with 10,464 bull battery EVs sold in March according to figures from the Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries.
The number of EVS sold hit a monthly record when 11,042 cars were sold in June 2023.
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