EV Targets Aren’t the Problem. It’s Whether We Can Actually Reach Them

EV targets sound ambitious. Without real investment in infrastructure and skills, Australia risks missing the mark. At BM Tech, we’re ready for the challenge, but the system isn’t there yet.

Australia has set its sights high: a 62–70% emissions reduction by 2035. On paper, it looks bold and inspiring. But here’s the uncomfortable truth—targets aren’t the problem. Achievability is.

Don’t get us wrong, we're all for achievable targets. We should be aiming high and driving toward a cleaner, greener future. The gap between what’s being promised and what’s actually possible in Australia right now, however, is wide enough to drive a fleet of semi-trailers through.

The Victorian Automotive Chamber of Commerce (VACC) recently released a media statement raising these exact concerns. Their position is clear: without significant investment in charging infrastructure, workforce development, and industry support, the government’s ambitious 2035 goals risk being more slogan than strategy.

The Funding Black Hole

The Federal Government’s $40 million pledge to accelerate EV charging sounds impressive until you realise it’s a fraction of what’s needed. Spread across metropolitan, regional, and rural Australia, it won’t come close to eliminating charging or range anxiety.

This isn’t a question of ambition. It’s a question of scale. And right now, the scale simply doesn’t match the targets.

The Skills Crisis

Even if we had the chargers, who’s going to service the cars? Victoria doesn’t have enough EV-ready workshops or qualified technicians to meet demand, certainly not now, and it's looking unlikely by 2035..

At BM Tech, we’ve been training and preparing for the EV shift. But one or two workshops adapting won’t solve a national skills shortage. Without widespread industry training programs, we’ll be left with cars that can’t be properly maintained—hardly the future Australians are being sold.

Lessons We Refuse to Learn

The VACC is right to push the alarm button. Australia has a history of setting goals without investing in the delivery. The result? Targets missed, opportunities wasted, and public trust eroded.

If the government is serious about EVs, here’s what has to change:

• More than token funding – A charging network that actually reaches everyone, not just a handful of city commuters.

• Real training investment – Upskill technicians nationwide so Australians can trust their EVs will be serviced safely.

• Support for workshops – Help businesses adapt their facilities instead of leaving them to shoulder the cost alone.

• Practical consumer incentives – Make EVs accessible for more families, not just the early adopters.

EV targets sound ambitious. Without real investment in infrastructure and skills, Australia risks missing the mark. At BM Tech, we’re ready for the challenge, but the system isn’t there yet.

Our Take at BM Tech

The idea of transitioning to EVs isn’t wrong. The targets themselves aren’t the enemy. But unless they’re matched with proper investment and planning, they risk being nothing more than headlines.

I’m all for ambitious, achievable targets—but without the infrastructure, skills, and industry support to back them up, Australia’s 2035 climate goals will stay stuck in the slow lane.

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