Volkswagen said it had left the policy making committee at Australia’s auto industry lobby group, days after Tesla cut ties, as the German carmaker distanced itself from a campaign against new fuel standards.
In a letter sent to other members of the Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries, Volkswagen said it quit the lobby group’s policy advisory committee before a meeting later this week, a spokesperson told Reuters.
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“Volkswagen Group Australia … speaks for itself on public and policy matters including the new vehicle efficiency standard,” the spokesperson said. “A strong NVES is in the best interests of this country.”
The news agency said the move widened a breach opened last week when Tesla accused the group of making false claims and departed in protest over its campaign against the new standards. Polestar followed a day later.
Reuters said, to get more electric vehicles on the road and cut emissions, Australia last month proposed vehicle efficiency standards which would penalise car makers which import emissions intensive models and reward those who bring in cleaner vehicles.
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Russia and Australia were among the only industrialised countries without the standards, the news agency reported.
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By GlobalDataFCAI has said the government’s preferred option would raise prices and limit choice, especially for the pick up trucks popular in Australia. It wants the government to water down its policy.
Toyota, which tops auto sales with its range of pickups and SUVs, last week backed the lobby group’s position and called on the government to revisit its plan, Reuters said.
Australia’s energy minister Chris Bowen hinted last Sunday the government was open to a compromise and “where an idea has been made to us sensibly, we will consider it sensibly.”
