Incentives stopping Jaguar Land Rover launching PHEVs and EVs in Australia

A lack of incentives is stopping JLR launching PHEVs and EVs in Australia, with the brand hesitant to launch its full suite of available models without government support for its buyers.

While great strides have been made recently at a state level for EV and PHEV buyers, few of those benefits extend to buyers of premium models, with most of the vehicles offered by Jaguar Land Rover sold above the price ceilings imposed for incentives.

Jaguar Land Rover Australia boss Mark Cameron says that his customers are no different to those shopping for cheaper vehicles, in that they need “some incentive” to make the switch from an ICE engine to a low- or zero-emission model.

And so far, he says, those incentives simply don’t exist. This lack of incentives is stopping JLR launching PHEVs and EVs in Australia, he says.

‘We’re not currently selling them, and I’m looking at the market changes, and changes in conditions, to decide when the best opportunity is for these vehicles to be introduced into Australia,” he said.

“We’d like to see the Luxury Car Tax threshold be reviewed. We would like customers buying more expensive cars to have some inventive to switch their buying behaviour away from traditional ICE engines to low-emission vehicles.”

The NSW Government has announced a $490 million investment to encourage EV uptake. It, like Victoria, will offer a $3000 subsidy on EV sales priced below $68,750 from September 1, 2021. It will also wave stamp duty on electric vehicles priced below $78,000.

It’s not an accident that the savings are offered to vehicles that fall below the Luxury Car Tax threshold of $79,659, with the move clearly targeting the more mainstream models in the EV range.

But it doesn’t do much for premium brands like Jaguar Land Rover, or any of its German competitors, most of which don’t offer much below that number. Discounting premium models, even by way of incentives, is a sticky subject for governments, who don’t necessarily want to look like they’re subsidising the rich.

“I’m pleased to see some of these changes at the state level in terms of incentives. “We have a great range of plug-in hybrids (and EVs) available that are produced globally,” Mr Cameron says.

“I do hope we can bring in more of our plug-in hybrid range and full BEVs in years to come.”