Tuesday 27 September 2022 03:17 AM China's secret plot to make Australia dependent on it for electric cars as it ... trends now
China is already dominating Australia's electric car sales with a whopping 83 per cent market share even before petrol cars are phased out.
An EV last month became Australia's fourth most popular car after the Greens agreed to back Labor's legislated climate change policy of a 43 per cent reduction in carbon emissions by 2030.
China, Australia's biggest trading partner, is strategically pursuing a thaw in trade relations just as electric car sales accelerate.
To that end, China's foreign minister Wang Yi last week met with his Australian counterpart Penny Wong in New York on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly.
China is already dominating Australia's electric car sales with a whopping 83 per cent market share even before petrol cars are phased out (pictured is a Tesla Model 3 production line in Shanghai)
When it comes to EVs, Chinese-built cars are by far the top sellers, with Teslas made in Shanghai and an MG SUV leading the charge, along with Volvos and a BMW with a six-figure price tag.
Fully-electric vehicles made in China last month had a whopping 82.6 per cent share of Australia's EV market, Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries data showed.
Australia is even more reliant on China for electric vehicles than it is for anything else.
Almost a third of Australia's imports come from China, with telecommunications equipment, computers, furniture and prams topping the list as supply chain constraints bite.
Chinese cars, however, have only a small 10 per cent share in Australia with more than 95 per cent of new vehicles sold still having a petrol or diesel engine - the top sellers coming from Thailand, Japan and South Korea.
But China is cleverly dominating the EV market.
ANZ economists Madeline Dunk, Kyle Uerata and David Plank have released a report showing EVs are a key growth sector as the Australian government vows to have charging stations at average intervals of 150km.
'China's automotive industry has the potential for strong growth, particularly given its supply chain advantages with electronic vehicle batteries,' the ANZ report said.
The Tesla Model 3, made in Shanghai, was last month Australia's fourth most popular car, with 2,380 orders taken, making it even more popular than the Toyota LandCruiser four-wheel drive.
The Tesla Model 3 (pictured), made in Shanghai, was last month Australia's fourth most popular car, with 2,380 orders taken, making it even more popular than the Toyota LandCruiser four-wheel drive
The Tesla Model Y - priced from $72,300 and also made in China - last month found 1,017 new owners in its first month going on sale in