ACT offers two years free rego for EV owners

Budding electric vehicle owners in the Australian Capital Territory (ACT) will be able to get two years of free registration from today as part of a government incentive scheme.

The State Government announced on Monday new or used zero emissions vehicles purchased in the ACT from today until June 30, 2024 can take advantage of two years of free registration as part of a move to encourage greater take-up of EVs.

To be eligible for the freebie, the sale must be finalised, or vehicle acquired, on or after May 24, 2021 and before June 30, 2024. This also applies to cars gifted or transferred between these dates.

At present, the discount only applies to passenger and goods carrying vehicles under 4.5 tonnes with an electric motor powered by electricity or a hydrogen fuel cell.

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They can also have been converted from a different power source or imported second-hand into Australia.

Before you get any ideas of re-registering your EV in the ACT from elsewhere in the country – you should know only those who hold an ACT licence can take advantage of the incentive. What’s more, the vehicle can’t have been registered in your name before and must be garaged at an ACT address – it applies to businesses too.

Unfortunately, Electric heavy vehicles such as trucks, or motorcycles aren’t covered.

The discount will be handled through dealerships for eligible new cars, while private sales for used vehicles will need to complete the normal registration process by visiting an Access Canberra Service Centre or calling 13 22 81.

New zero emissions vehicles purchased for the first time may also be eligible for a full stamp duty exemption. Visit the calculating stamp duty under the Vehicle Emission Reduction Scheme page to find out more.

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Making the announcement today, Chief Minister and Minister for Climate Action Andrew Barr said the ACT is targeting net zero emissions by 2045.

“Transport emissions now account for around 60 per cent of the ACT’s greenhouse gas emissions, and of these emissions an estimated 70 per cent are from private vehicles,” he said.

“Reducing the number of high-emitting vehicles on our roads is significant to achieving our targets along with encouraging active travel and public transport use.

“Reducing transport emissions in the ACT is an essential step to achieving a sustainable, resilient future for our Territory and to reach our goal of net zero emissions by 2045.”

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While EVs purchased in the state before today aren’t part of the deal, owners are able to apply for an on-going 20 per cent reduction in their rego fees.

The ACT is the latest state to offer an incentive on buying an EV, after Victoria announced earlier this month it was offering 20,000 subsidies worth $3000 each over the next three years to dramatically increase the state’s uptake of EVs to 50 per cent of all vehicles by 2030.

As of May 2, 2021, the first 4000 subsidies were made available on electric and hydrogen cars – and yes, only battery- and hydrogen-fuelled electric cars, no plug-in hybrids or motorbikes – up to the value of $68,740 before on-road costs.

The Victorian Government has previously come under fire however, for trying to push through a 2.5c/km distance-based charge on EVs as well as a 2c/km charge for plug-in hybrids. The move has been widely criticised and even dubbed “the worst electric vehicle policy in the world” by industry figures and environmental groups”.

South Australia has adopted a similar policy.

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Meanwhile in NSW, ministers are at odds with each other over the best way forward for the state. In recent weeks, Planning Minister Rob Stokes has come out as saying Sydney should be rapidly reducing the number of cars on its roads rather than arguing about how they’re powered, while Transport Minister Andrew Constance said the State Government should not introduce a special EV levy until electric vehicles make up 40 to 50 per cent of the car market.

Taking a different tack to his colleague, NSW Treasurer Dominic Perrottet, said earlier this month that no new charges will be levied on EV owners until the market has had a chance to “mature”.