Selling more electric cars in Australia will have a bigger environmental impact than disconnecting all homes from gas, a Climate Council report has found.

Utes account for more than one in every five new vehicles sold in Australia, but hardly any are electric. That is about to change with new electric and hybrid models on their way.

Some of the biggest car companies don’t mind that Aussies are paying too much for petrol-guzzling, high polluting cars because that’s how they make their profits.

More needs to be done to improve the affordability of EVs, and convince nearly half the population they are a viable alternative.

Unless the growth in the size of passenger vehicles is stopped and reversed, Australia’s task of meeting our net-zero target will be even more difficult.

New research confirms that EVs have lower lifecycle emissions than internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles, even if the grids that charge them are still dirty.

Avoiding petrol costs, parking and charging, lower maintenance, and growing familiarity with the technology, are all reasons cited by car buyers opting for EVs. technology.