Open day on the charge as Hunter EV ownership soars

Published on 11 May 2023

Lake Macquarie City Council is poised to host a region-first electric vehicle open day in a bid to drive more motorists towards EVs.

Sustainability Engagement Coordinator Chris Harle said Saturday’s open day – the Hunter’s first hosted by local government – aimed to showcase the latest EVs and EV technology, and the benefits of EV ownership.

Latest Transport for NSW vehicle data shows hybrid and electric cars now make up more than two per cent of all passenger vehicles registered across the five Lower Hunter LGAs.

Ownership of hybrid and electric passenger vehicles in the Lower Hunter jumped 16 per cent in the six months to 30 April, with 7030 hybrid and 1270 electric cars now on local roads.

But that proportion – 2.2 per cent of the Lower Hunter’s 367,952 registered passenger vehicles – still lags behind the 3.3 per cent State-wide.

The open day, to be held at Council’s Speers Point administration building car park from 10am-2pm, will include displays and demonstrations of new EV models from Porsche, BMW, Tesla, Polestar, Peugeot, Volvo, MG, BYD, LDV and Nissan.

Electric motorbikes, go-karts and e-mobility devices will also be on show.

"The rapid increase in EV and hybrid ownership shows the growing appetite for these vehicles in our region,” Ms Harle said.

“However, for some motorists, swapping their traditional petrol and diesel-powered vehicles remains a daunting prospect, so hopefully the open day will help allay some of those concerns.”

Ms Harle said switching to an EV was one of the single most effective ways people could reduce their carbon footprint.

“Transport emissions are the fastest growing emission sector in Australia, and they’re our largest contributor for our organisation, to greenhouse gas emissions,” she said.

“We’re committed to improving our environment, reducing vehicle emissions and encouraging EV use and ownership across Lake Macquarie, and we’re doing what we can on the ground – not only with this open day, but with our Electric Vehicle Charging Strategy, and our move towards electrifying our own vehicle fleet.”

The open day will offer test rides in Council’s fleet of Nissan Leaf EVs, EV charging displays, talks by local EV owners, free rides, activities, pizza and gelato.

Representatives from the NRMA and Australian Electric Vehicle Association (AEVA) will also be on hand.

AEVA spokesman Michael Day said Australians were increasingly aware of the need for action on global climate change targets.

“The increasing number of electric vehicle sales demonstrates that there is an appetite for environmentally friendly vehicles,” he said.

Go to lakemac.com.au for more information and to book an EV test ride on the day.

Passenger vehicle registrations as of 30 April 2023