16 May

Two of Australia’s most popular cars, the RVA4 hybrid, and the Ford Ranger ute. Under new vehicle emissions standards coming into effect on 1 July this year, the price of the RAV4 could jump by $10,000. The Ranger could be $15,000 more expensive. Worth remembering Australia is the only country in the world, apart from Russia, who doesn’t already have vehicle emissions standards. Manufacturers dump their crap vehicles on us. Now you’ll have to pay big dollars to own the rubbish. Also a warning to those rushing to plug-in hybrids because of ‘range anxiety’. They’re not exempt, they still have that rubbish petrol or diesel engine in them. This ‘tax’ is really a very late catch-up for the free pollution these rubbish vehicles have been pumping out for 150 years. No other business is allowed to pollute at all, let alone for free.