By Lilia Guan

 

Australia’s heavy dependency on conventional vehicles is no longer sustainable and fleet managers must reassess their choice of purchase, an industry expert has warned.

 

CSIRO chief advisor for automotive strategy, David Lamb, told delegates at the recent National Fleet Conference in Melbourne that fleet managers must adapt to a more sustainable world.

 

Mr Lamb outlined his predictions for the future. He said fuel prices would drive down resale values of large passenger vehicles and 4WDs; car manufacturers would adopt stop‐start technologies and light weighting; and gasoline engines would match diesel efficiency with lower particulates.

 

He added that most people operating electric vehicles (EVs) in the future would not privately own them, and battery charge times would be a particular point of competition within the industry.

 

Mr Lamb said the best way to adapt to the future low-emission fleet would be to make both short- and long-term plans, recognising the probabilities.

 

“The best planners will win in the long run,” he said.

 

“As a global community we must not allow vested interests to delay corrective actions. We need a national plan.”

 

However, the reality of Australia’s low-emission fleet remains a long way off.