Electrifying his classic 1967 split-screen Volkswagen Kombi "Lilly" cost Noah Wasmer about $70,000 and he doesn't regret one cent.
The tiny EV on the number plate is the only noticeable change on Lilly's glossy exterior, but inside, the Kombi has been cleverly transformed, right down to the power plug hidden under the fuel cap and the battery in the boot.
"We removed the petrol motor and we've put in a 50-kilowatt-hour battery with a 130-horsepower electric motor and so now she's ready for the next gen; she actually gets 250 kilometres of range," Mr Wasmer said.
The US-born, Sunshine Coast-based software engineer is passionate about electric vehicles and wants to open people's minds to the benefits of EV conversions.
Mr Wasmer has discovered an unexpected bonus on top of fuel efficiencies, reliability, and being kinder to the planet.
"My family just absolutely enjoys driving around in it; they think it's the most joyful car in Australia and it's hard to disagree," he said.
EV shortage
Demand for electric vehicles in Australia has drastically outstripped supply as manufacturers prioritise orders from countries that have already adopted mandatory fuel efficiency standards.
Mr Wasmer has set a goal to help plug the gap and prevent thousands of tonnes of carbon dioxide from entering the atmosphere every year.
He began by approaching Ross and Mark Calder at British Off Road on the Sunshine Coast to convert "Charlie", a former Australian Defence Force 4WD Land Rover Defender Perentie.
"My brother and myself had been looking at the option of doing conversions, thinking it's a great idea," Ross Calder said.
"That's where the future is, to have electric vehicles.
"Whether it's something you're a fan of or not, it's coming, so we wanted to be involved in it."
In addition to collaborating with the Calder brothers on classic cars, Mr Wasmer is now working to transition fleet utes to electric vehicles.
He has co-founded Roev, to work with business and government fleets to transition their petrol and diesel Toyota HiLux utilities and Ford Rangers over to EVs.
"We're trying to really legitimise the idea of conversions to make it mainstream for modern cars," Mr Wasmer said.
The company has been taking reservations with a plan to electrify 1,000 fleet utilities within 12 months of commencing production in Melbourne this year.
"We have over 500 different orders that we're working through just right now that we're trying to fill," Mr Wasmer said.
"We're excited about starting production to get those on the road."
There is no shortage of material for conversion.
In 2022, the RACV said 256,382 utes were sold in Australia, 1.2 per cent higher than the previous year.
"When you get into more modern vehicles, like a HiLux, then you're really talking about ensuring that you have full integration into the safety systems, traction control, stability control," Mr Wasmer said.
EV ute competition
In February, a billion-dollar agreement was reached between SEA Electric and Mining Electric Vehicle Company (MEVCO) for SEA Electric to source a range of Toyota HiLux vehicles and LandCruiser utes and convert them to electricity.
Roev's fleet conversion prices for 2016-2022 model utes range from $47,990 for 2WD to $57,990 for 4WD, dependent on battery capacity.
The Electric Vehicle Council of Australia's head of policy Jake Whitehead said the Australian vehicle market had reached a "really exciting point".
"We're seeing demand from fleets from households, from farmers, businesses, really wanting to get their hands on electric utes," Dr Whitehead said.
"The ability to convert some existing petrol or diesel utes is one avenue to take and it's a great opportunity that is on the market right now."
But Dr Whitehead said the lack of a federal mandatory fuel efficiency standard had put Australia's EV industry "five to 10 years" behind other countries.
"Most countries around the world have a fuel efficiency standard and what that policy does is it requires global car manufacturers to import more efficient vehicles every year," Dr Whitehead explained.
"So when we're thinking about Europe, the US, China, those markets have that policy, they get first dibs on these exciting projects and unfortunately at the moment Australia's being left at the end of the queue."
The first purpose-built electric ute to be commercially available in Australia arrived in March to tour the country.
Chinese manufacturer LDV's eT60 dual-cab, two-wheel-drive ute has a 330km range and a 1-tonne towing capacity and will sell for $92,990 plus on-road costs.
Dr Whitehead said while the cost of conversions and new EVs remained high, the reward was significantly cheaper recharging costs.
"It's equivalent to going to the petrol bowser and only paying 20 cents per litre."
And while range remains an issue for residents in rural and remote Australia, Dr Whitehead said EV utes were still an option on farms.
"If you're not travelling more than a couple of hundred kilometres a day, they could be the perfect vehicle," Dr Whitehead said.
"Certainly we will see electric utes that have a driving range above 500 kilometres, they already exist overseas."
National electric vehicle strategy
A spokesperson for the Department of Transport said the federal government was considering a fuel efficiency standard and had received more than 500 submissions in consultation to shape Australia's first national electric vehicle strategy.
"To support the accelerated uptake of EVs, the government is making electric cars cheaper through the electric car discount that exempts low and zero-emission cars from import tariffs and fringe benefits tax," a statement read.
"This builds on the government's existing commitment of up to $20.5 million through the Clean Energy Finance Corporation making green car loans cheaper – supporting up to $100 million in green finance for Australian consumers looking to buy an EV."
"These initiatives are complemented by expanding the rollout of EV-charging infrastructure through the $500 million Driving the Nation Fund."
