The Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries (FCAI), the peak body for the automotive industry, has welcomed the recent announcement by the federal government of a $1.9 billion dollar investment package in future technologies.
According to Tony Weber, chief executive of the FCAI, the investment initiative includes several innovative programs which herald a quantum step forward for the Australian environment, and Australian industry.
[quote size=”large” title=””] The automotive industry in Australia applauds the renewed focus on environmental improvements. Internationally, automotive manufacturers have been investing billions of dollars in the research and development of environmentally friendly technologies and vehicles – and they could all be headed to Australia if we have the right policy and infrastructure in place.” [/quote]
Weber said it is heartening to see the federal government focus on encouraging the uptake of low and zero emission vehicles, particularly in business and regional communities, through the Future Fuels Fund. “With these initiatives in place, automotive manufacturers can continue to do what they do best – and that is to bring the latest, safest, and most fuel-efficient vehicles to the Australian market. However, the missing piece in the jigsaw is fuel quality, which is rated amongst the lowest in the world, and well below the standard used in many developing countries. Without improvements in fuel quality, the Australian consumer cannot access the latest vehicle technologies which offer the greatest environmental benefits.”
The automotive industry is active in enhancing environmental outcomes in Australia. In July, the FCAI announced a new industry-led reporting system, the FCAI CO2 Emissions Standard, which sets out industry and brand CO2 emission reduction targets by 2030. The initiative is supported by more than 40 major automotive brands and aims to provide certainty to manufacturers to enable them to confidently plan future product for the Australian market.
The FCAI strongly supports a comprehensive approach to addressing motor vehicle emissions that includes fuel quality standards, the introduction of Euro 6 and the introduction of a challenging but realistic, achievable and market relevant CO2 standard.