Ray Hadley issues a brutal reality check for electric car owners as he exposes a major problem

Broadcaster Ray Hadley has called out Energy Minister Chris Bowen for the government's electric vehicle target, highlighting a double standard as Australia's electricity grid is mostly powered by non-renewable energy sources. 

Hadley analysed the energy distribution powering Australia at 8:30 pm last Sunday night, based on data sent to him by a 2GB listener. 

The breakdown revealed that the majority, 56.58 per cent, came from coal, with wind contributing 14.95 per cent, gas at 13.77 per cent, hydro sources at 9.64 per cent, solar at 4.50 per cent, and a mere 0.53 per cent from battery-generated sources. 

Hadley then slammed the government's electric vehicle target as nothing more than a 'pipe dream' while vehicles are still predominantly powered by non-renewables.

The broadcaster revealed that in the 2022 election campaign, the Labor party predicted that by 2030, almost 80 per cent of new cars purchased in Australia would be electric.

However, government officials disclosed in a recent estimates hearing last month that electric vehicles were projected to constitute less than a third (27%) of new vehicle sales by the end of the decade.

'Either coal and gas are generating on a Sunday night 70.35 per cent of Australia's electricity while wind/solar are producing 19.45 per cent,' Hadley told listeners on Tuesday.

'While ever that's the case and remains the case, we're reliant on coal and gas, which of course Casanova Bowen [Chris Bowens] absolutely detests.

'Where do you think most of the power to charge your [electric] car came from, Casa [Nova]?'

'Well, about 70 per cent came from coal or gas, depending on the time of day, and you want us to move almost way before time to renewables.

'It's one of those pipe dreams that you have from time to time but it isn't achievable, not achievable in any shape or form. But that's want Casanova Bowen wants to do.'

Hours after Hadley's scathing comments, Mr Bowen pushed on with his renewables plan at a speech to the Lowly Institute.

He said the target of 82 per cent renewables in Australia's energy mix by 2030 – up from around one third when federal Labor took office - is no small challenge.

'And despite what some detractors say, it's actually in line with like-minded countries, and with global world trends,' Mr Bowen said.

'But it doesn't stop with 82 per cent, which is why we are developing our sectoral plans to set us on the journey to net zero emissions.'

He said a clean energy grid is also critical for domestic energy security and cheaper power, with Australian households saving up to 57 per cent on their energy bills if they have rooftop solar installed.

Earlier this month, Toyota Australia boss Sean Hanley said hybrid vehicles were 'a better fit' for Australian motorists and could have greater environmental benefits.

'(Battery electric vehicles) make sense right now in places like Norway where most energy is renewable and incomes are high but Australia is not Europe,' he said.

'In countries like Australia, our data suggests that hybrids can have a greater impact than full electrification in getting carbon off the road.'

He argued Toyota could make more hybrid vehicles with the same materials used to create one electric car, that EVs were 'powered, in many cases, by electricity generated from coal' and that they remained 'impractical' for drivers.

But Tesla public policy vice-president Rohan Patel hit back,  saying Mr Hanley is 'obviously not much of an expert on the Australian electricity grid'.

He pointed to Australia's growing use of renewable electricity and said thousands of drivers were using '100 per cent clean energy from the sun' to fuel their cars.

'Already today the lifetime emissions of electric vehicles are far better than internal combustion (cars) and that gap is widening as the grid gets cleaner,' he said.

'Aussies are too smart than to be tricked by cynical (public relations) that aims to slow the sustainable transportation transition to help sell internal combustion vehicles in the short-term.'

Electric Vehicle Council chief executive Behyad Jafari says the comments from Toyota also have the potential to undermine a lucrative local industry.

Australia produced more lithium than any other nation in 2022, according to the United States Geological Survey – the main element used to produce electric vehicle batteries.

'You'd think that common sense would tell you to push back against arguments that talk down Aussie jobs and opportunities in a booming battery sector,' Mr Jafari said.

'These comments go against what's in the best interest of both Australian consumers looking to save on fuel bills and Australia's economy by talking down the battery industry when we're the ones who can supply the world with electric vehicle batteries.'

Mr Jafari says Toyota's criticism of electric cars and elevation of hybrid vehicle technology had more to do with what the company had to sell than the best interests of motorists.

'This is an attempt by them to try to defend their own failings rather than admitting, as they have at a global level, they got it wrong and they've been too slow off the market with EVs,' he said.

'Toyota's market share has been dropping in Australia and the electric vehicle market share has been growing.'