Electric vehicles could soon be heading west as phase three of Queensland's Electric Super Highway is rolled out.
Transport Minister Mark Bailey said the first of 24 new charging stations in Queensland will be completed in Kingaroy next month.
"Then we'll see others in places like Longreach, all the way along the Flinders Highway out to Mount Isa, all the way along the Capricorn through Barcaldine, Longreach, Winton," he said.
"We'll see Cunnamulla, we'll see Blackall, we'll see Emerald, we'll see Dingo, all these different places over the next 12 months will have an electric vehicle charging station."
Charging stations are already available from Coolangatta to Cairns.
"That's such a really exciting thing to see such a vast state like Queensland being able to cover electric vehicles," Mr Bailey said.
It coincides with the state reaching a new milestone of 10,000 registered electric vehicles, almost double the number recorded in 2017.
That number is expected to rise as more motorists take advantage of the state government's $3,000 rebate on six eligible models:
- MG ZS EV Essence
- BYD Atto 3
- Hyundai Ioniq
- Nissan Leaf
- Hyundai Kona
- Mini Cooper SE
Rebates aren't available for hybrid electric vehicles or second-hand vehicles, though the government expects the second-hand EV market to grow as more cars enter the country.
Australia has been slow to take up EVs compared to other countries as the world tries to lower global emissions. But recent rises in petrol prices have inspired some motorists to consider EV options, as they try to lower their own carbon footprint.
Energy Minister Mick de Brenni said Queensland's EV rebate is about offering Queenslanders a choice.
"Motorists are seeing the rising costs of liquid fuels and global supply challenges mean it's more important than ever to give that choice to switch to an electric vehicle."
According to the Electric Vehicle Council, it costs about $4 per 100 kilometres to power an average electric car compared to about $14 per 100 kilometres for a standard petrol-fuelled vehicle.
Mr de Brenni said the state government predicts 50 per cent of new car sales will be electric by 2030.
"We're going to support that by making sure that we have the energy system that can support the charging and getting those renewable electrons from our solar farms, from our wind farms into motorists' cars."
