Huge crowds prove EV interest is Fully Charged
Now look, obviously I know, in my heart of hearts and brain of brains, that there is a tsunami of interest in electric vehicles out there, even in allegedly backwards-ass countries like Australia that have resisted jumping on to the emissions-free bandwagon for some time (thanks, Scotty!). And yet I must admit I was still shocked and awed by the turnout this past weekend for the Fully Charged Live show in Sydney.
Many years after Australian Motor Shows went the way of grid girls and skimpy lycra, some brave people dared to bring something similar and yet entirely different to the ICC in Darling Harbour – a car show featuring only electric vehicles and focused on futuristic energy sources and zero-emission alternatives.
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Back in 2009, when the last Australian International Motor Show was cancelled due to poor attendance figures the year before, such an event would have been entirely unimaginable, indeed almost laughable, and I’ll admit that when I heard it was being attempted, and that people were going to be charged $60 to attend, I had some doubts. OK, a lot of doubts.
But then I went along myself and had to pick up my jaw off the floor. The ICC was packed with intensely interested people, every single panel discussion I saw, across three different stages, was not just well attended but often oversubscribed and standing room only.
There were thousands of people in attendance – indeed I’m told more than 15,000 paying punters visited over the two days, and I saw children wearing Tesla shirts and caps. The same children who would have been wearing HSV and Brocky clobber not so long ago.
Yes, there was a very scary area called the Tesla Owners Club, and I was too damn scared to go near them, but there were also lots of really interesting stands with hugely engaged people in attendance.
The only downside, and the biggest surprise, was how few of the major marques showed up. The stands for MG and LDV were rammed with people (the soon-to-arrive MG4 was one of the highlights of the show), and in terms of the big names you think of when it comes to electric vehicles, Polestar was very much the star attraction, but there were no official stands for Tesla (and there would never be, Elon Musk doesn’t spend money on media or marketing, unless it’s a few billion on Twitter), Kia, Hyundai, BMW, Audi, Porsche, Mercedes-Benz or Nissan.
I heard someone saying they’d driven all the way from Port Macquarie to have a look at a full range of EVs for the first time, in the flesh, and expressing quite some anger and disappointment at the ones that weren’t there.
There were Audis, Teslas and Nissan Leafs at the show, brought by other exhibitors to show off their wares, but if those big brands aren’t a big part of what will no doubt be an even bigger show next year, I’ll eat the next EV I drive.
There are moments when you can feel a shift, a change of momentum, or perhaps imagine one, but attending Fully Charged Live was one of those moments where you’re not imagining or sensing anything – the overwhelming evidence is right before your eyes.
This EV thing is really taking off.
Maybe next time, even Melbourne will get involved.
Surely the the most important way to have the major ICE manufacturers to get serious about supplying EVs to Australia is to have a vehicle emission standard. This Federal Government have been in power for nearly a year and still no action on curtailing vehicle emissions. Just copy the European standard. Why the delay? Maybe they are still reluctant to upset the fossil fuel industry?
Spot on Clubman08! Great comment. You last sentence is telling isn’t it.
I travelled from North NSW and enjoyed my two days there immensely. Hats off to the organisers for the keeping the panel talks so interesting and to the companies that were there. It was fun to sit with informed audiences who got all the in jokes and comments.
I hope there isn’t a ‘next time’, at least not in the form it took this year. These sorts of ‘national events’ need to stop. We’re right on the edge of the future of human survival on the planet, and shows which require loads of resources to all arrive, using fossil fuels, in one spot whilst the vast majority of the audience arrive similarly, is further suicide. Shows like this need to be regional, allowing much shorter trips and the possibility of most of the audience arriving by EV or public transport Fully Charged. Your move…
Good comment Paul.
“but there were no official stands for Tesla (and there would never be)” – After the first year, Tesla now attends the Fully Charged events in the UK.