Informer: Can electric vehicles help pull the plug on climate change?

He's had more cars than I can remember from speedy sportscars and powerful V8s to hulking 4WDs and family-appropriate SUVs - he even had a daggy bright orange Chrysler Sigma, which he insisted was vintage.

But he has never had an electric car.

However, that could all change within the next decade if our government has anything to say about it.

At the recent Glasgow climate summit, Australia signed an agreement that could make electric vehicles the "new normal" by 2030.

The agreement, known as the Breakthrough Agenda, aims to make clean technologies the "most affordable, accessible and attractive choice for all globally in each of the most polluting sectors by the end of the decade".

Prime Minister Scott Morrison unveiled the country's Net-Zero by 2050 plan last month and I am still none-the-wiser as to just how exactly this plan will actually reduce our greenhouse gases.

But it certainly seems that electric cars could play a vital part.

According to the plan, analysis shows that electric vehicles could "contribute around 15 per cent of Australia's overall 2050 abatement task".

That's a pretty decent reduction.

However, electric vehicles aren't exactly the cheapest option for consumers with the cheapest battery-powered car on the market in Australia hovering around the $40,000 mark.

Not to mention the lack of publicly-accessible charging stations.

Despite all that, more Aussies are already opting for electric vehicles.

Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries chief executive Tony Weber told AAP that demand for electric cars jumped by 10 per cent jump in October, and a 66 per cent rise on a year-to-date basis.

"We have seen Victoria and NSW release comprehensive legislation to support electric vehicles which was followed just last week by South Australia," Mr Weber said.

"We look forward to working with governments at all levels to form nationally consistent policies which will make electric vehicles more accessible to the Australian motorist."

After all if you're going to hit someone in the hip pocket - that's where it's really going to hurt.

That's also a concern for Grain Producers Australia's national chairperson Andrew Weidemann as diesel prices soar in the lead up to harvest season.

"We don't want to see a run on the market and driving up extra costs," he said.

"The reality is that farmers are going to need fuel to get this year's harvest off and running."

Down in Canberra, garbage trucks will be fitted with AI technology in an effort to speed up pothole repairs across the state.

There is no doubt that new vehicles, and technology, are getting more impressive by the day.

So next time you're at the bowser, cursing the rising costs of fuel, just remember that electric vehicles could soon be within all of our reach...

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