The Europeans are keeping their eco-incentives, it seems.
A great amount of speculation about emissions-based incentives and subsidies being offered in Australia, following similar schemes being launched throughout Europe in a bid to lower national CO2 levels, has been brought to a grinding halt following an interview with a senior manager from BMW Australia.
Speaking to GoAuto, comms boss Lenore Fletcher said that while incentives like the ones being offered in Europe may eventually see the light of day here, it’s not in the immediate future.
“There isn’t any plan at this point to do that, or to implement any of those measures within the Australian market. It’s not something that’s been discussed for our market — never say never, but at the moment, there are no plans.” — Lenore Fletcher, BMW Australia
These echo statements from sources within Mercedes-Benz’s regional office, who said that there will not be a rollout of the “voluntary recall” the company is implementing in Europe (affecting some 3-million vehicles across the passenger and commercial vehicle divisions). This position further concretes the unlikelihood of emissions-based incentives being introduced here.
To recap, manufacturers across Europe are slowly introducing incentives for owners of older diesel-powered cars that emit high levels of carbon dioxide to trade-in their cars for new, cleaner, leaner, greener cars. Those incentives range from €1000 ($1500)all the way up to €10,000 ($15,000) depending on the vehicle being traded in, the emissions compliance of the older car, and the chosen new car (and its powertrain, with the highest incentives offered for hybrid and electric vehicles).
Fletcher is keen to point out that BMW’s commitment to eco-friendliness has been made clear with its model offerings, with no less than 7 electrified vehicles in its showrooms at present. The ball is clearly in the Government’s court, as it seems that carmakers have done all they can with the legislation that’s presently in place to spur the sales of green machines.
“As you know, there is no incentives, there is no policy direction or strategic direction from the legislation and the regulatory bodies here in Australia. So whilst we’re happy to invest our money to develop the technology, the technology has outstripped the legislation and we really do urge the government to reconsider its position and do something.” — Lenore Fletcher, BMW Australia
The incentives offered in Europe were introduced after a “diesel summit” in Berlin, which concluded with various German automakers conceding to public outrage following the Dieselgate scandal that started with Volkswagen, and hasn’t yet seemed to end, with various regulatory bodies still scrutinising diesel engines across the board as they continue to assess the situation and its reach.
While the Dieselgate scandal’s ramifications appear to have left our market unharmed, in the greater scheme of things, there are valid points being made about the offering of emissions-based incentives and the good they can bring to the market. With the average age of cars in our market sitting at just over 10-years, one can only imagine the improvement in emissions levels should the Government adopt similar policies as the ones being offered throughout Europe. Guess we’ll have to wait and see.
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