What: After driving 10,000 kms through regional communities from Ballarat to Brisbane and back a bit, the first commercially available electric ute in Australia is in Sydney to complete the Electric Ute Roadshow, with a list of 5 recommendations for governments on how to make Australia’s regions EV ready.
Press conference and visual opportunity
When: 10 am Friday 18 August, 2023
Where: Carriageworks, Sydney (end of Stores Street)
Who:
- Ben Lever, Ballarat petrol-head turned clean transport advocate, Ben has driven the electric ute from Ballarat to Brisbane.
- Western Sydney Electrician Jacob Kennedy, who is keen to test drive the electric ute, which could save him $250 a week on fuel.
- Solar Citizens National Director, Heidi Lee Douglas, who is launching a report on 5 recommendations of the lessons learnt from 10,000km driving an electric ute around Regional Australia.
Visuals:
One of Australia’s first electric utes, being driven by a tradie, electrician Jacob Kennedy, and/or Ben Lever, as he completes his 10,000 km road trip in one of Australia’s first Electric Utes.
A media reel of high quality footage from the electric ute road trip around regional Australia, including the electric ute driving past iconic Australian “big” things, being driven by Members of Parliament, and being the focus of many community events. Short Version and Long Version
Photo highlights from the Electric Ute Roadshow, and a photo of Ben with his old car, a 180SX, can be found here
Background:
Ballarat local Ben Lever was once a petrol-head but has become one of Australia’s fiercest clean transport advocates. He's had a ball driving one of Australia’s first electric utes from Ballarat to Brisbane and back a bit as part of the “Electric Ute Roadshow”.
On the final stop in the electric ute roadshow in Sydney, Ben is joined by Western Sydney “sparky” Jacob Kennedy. Jacob is keen to see more electric utes come to Australia - because they would save him an arm and a leg on petrol. Commuting from Camden to the Sydney CBD for work in his dual cab diesel ute, Jacob is facing both rising fuel and rental costs. An electric ute would save him about $250 a week. Plus electrifying Australia will bring many jobs to electricians like him.
Report:
Using the knowledge gained from 10 000 km on the road, Solar Citizens has developed a new report - Five Recommendations for Accelerating Clean Transport in Regional Australia.
The report makes five recommendations:
1. Implement a strong mandatory Fuel Efficiency Standard to unblock the supply of electric vehicles for Australians
2. Build resilient charging infrastructure to help address range anxiety
3. Prioritise regional towns for charging infrastructure to help increase regional prosperity
4. Implement solar-shaded roofs in carparks and on charging stations, to increase supply of clean energy to charge electric vehicles
5. Remove barriers to Vehicle-to-Everything (Vehicle-to-Load, Vehicle-to-Home and Vehicle-to-Grid) technology so we can run our tools, and using the batteries in our electric vehicles.
About us:
About Solar Citizens
Solar Citizens is an independent, community-based organisation working to protect and grow renewable energy and clean transport in Australia. We represent the millions of Australian households who are powering their lives with the sun, and the vast majority of Australians who support the transition to renewable energy and clean transport. Our website is https://www.solarcitizens.org.au/
About the Electric Ute Roadshow
Regional Australians shouldn’t have to pay the price at the petrol pump and miss out on the opportunities of electric vehicles while the cities speed ahead. The Electric Ute Roadshow highlights how sensible transport policies like Fuel Efficiency Standards will give people the choice of more efficient, affordable and diverse models that are suitable for the regions—including the much-loved Aussie tradition of utes— and reveal the cost-savings and other benefits electric vehicles bring to the regions.
Contact details:
Ben Lever 0412 278 081
Jacqui Street 0498 188 528
