Evaluation of Electric Vehicle Program

Situation:

The Drive Electric EV Program stands as a flagship initiative, designed to accelerate the adoption of electric vehicles (EVs) and contribute significantly towards achieving the ambitious net zero emissions target set for 2050. Australia’s heavy reliance on fossil fuels and the significant role of the transport sector in greenhouse gas emissions underscore the importance of this program. The initiative seeks to tackle critical barriers to EV adoption, including high purchase costs, insufficient charging infrastructure, and prevalent range anxiety among potential buyers.

Despite a global surge in EV adoption, with nations like Norway leading the transition to electric mobility, Australia has lagged. EVs constitute a minor fraction of new car sales in Australia compared to these leading countries. This disparity highlights the necessity for a tailored approach to address the unique challenges within the Australian market and to accelerate the shift towards cleaner transportation solutions.

Task:

Grosvenor was engaged to conduct a comprehensive evaluation of the Drive Electric EV Program. Our primary task was to thoroughly analyse the program’s effectiveness, focusing on its alignment with decarbonisation strategies, net zero activities, and market transformation theories. The goal was to assess how well the program achieved its objectives, pinpoint its strengths and weaknesses, and provide actionable recommendations to enhance its impact and ensure its alignment with broader climate and sustainability goals.

Our evaluation demanded a multi-dimensional approach to fully understand the program’s impact. This involved evaluating how well the program’s initiatives—such as EV fleet incentives, fast-charging infrastructure grants, and destination charging initiatives—addressed the core barriers to EV adoption. Furthermore, it was essential to assess how these initiatives fit within the larger frameworks of decarbonisation and market transformation.

Actions:

To initiate the evaluation, we first established a robust foundation for the project. This involved clarifying project objectives, defining our methodology, and setting deliverables, timeframes, and milestones. This foundational work was crucial for aligning all project components and ensuring a shared understanding among stakeholders. We detailed governance roles and responsibilities, mapped stakeholders, established reporting requirements, and identified potential project risks. Initial data and documents were collected to provide a solid starting point for the evaluation.

With the groundwork laid, we proceeded to develop and finalise the evaluation plan. We drafted this plan through collaborative workshops with stakeholders, ensuring that the program’s objectives were clearly defined and key evaluation questions (KEQs) were established. Indicators and data sources were outlined to accurately measure the program’s success. The evaluation plan was refined based on stakeholder feedback to ensure alignment with industry needs and best practices in decarbonisation and market transformation.

Our next step involved conducting desktop due diligence. We meticulously reviewed existing program data and documentation to understand the program’s effectiveness. Any data gaps were identified and addressed through additional information or proxy sources. This thorough examination enabled us to develop comprehensive evaluation findings, covering all relevant aspects of the program.

To gain a deeper understanding of the program’s practical impact, we analysed the applicant journey and reviewed program processes. We conducted a ‘dummy run’ of the application process to simulate the applicant experience and identify potential issues or areas for improvement. Key processes were also examined from the perspective of the Net Zero Team, providing insights into operational challenges and opportunities. This analysis allowed us to assess the effectiveness of program processes and understand the applicant experience better.

A critical aspect of our evaluation was assessing the program’s communication strategies. We reviewed current communication practices and compared them with established best practices. This involved examining relevant literature and clarifying findings with the Office of Energy and Climate Change (OECC). Documenting these results helped us identify strengths and gaps in the communication strategies, guiding recommendations for future improvements.

We conducted a series of consultations to gather diverse stakeholder insights. These consultations, which included one-on-one interviews and focus groups, provided a broad range of perspectives on the program’s impact and effectiveness. This comprehensive feedback ensured that our evaluation was well-rounded and representative of all relevant viewpoints.

In addition to qualitative feedback, we collected quantitative data through an online survey distributed to program applicants. To address any issues with low response rates, follow-up phone surveys were conducted. This quantitative data complemented the qualitative insights, providing a comprehensive view of the program’s reach and impact.

Finally, we synthesised and analysed the data collected from all previous steps. An internal workshop was held to map out key themes and insights, leading to the preparation of a detailed presentation of our findings. This presentation was tested with the OECC for feedback and refinement before finalising the report.

Results:

Our evaluation revealed that the Drive Electric EV Program effectively addressed several barriers to EV adoption, such as providing targeted fleet incentives and funding for charging infrastructure. These interventions demonstrated a strong alignment with decarbonisation and net zero objectives, contributing positively to the program’s goals. However, our analysis also identified areas for improvement. The interventions, while well-targeted, required further refinement to maximise their impact. We found that enhancing the alignment with market transformation theories and addressing gaps in current strategies would strengthen the program’s effectiveness.

The evaluation highlighted the program’s strengths in addressing the core challenges of EV adoption and its alignment with broader climate goals. The recommendations provided aimed to refine the program’s approach, leveraging best practices in market transformation and ensuring a closer alignment with industry standards and business needs.

Conclusion:

The evaluation underscored the Drive Electric Program’s effectiveness in tackling key barriers to EV adoption and its alignment with decarbonisation and net zero objectives. While the program’s initiatives were well-conceived and made significant strides, our findings indicated that further refinement was necessary to fully realise their potential. The recommendations aimed to enhance the program’s impact by addressing identified gaps, integrating best practices, and ensuring alignment with market transformation goals and industry standards.

By implementing the recommendations, the Drive Electric Program can significantly improve its impact, drive greater EV adoption, and contribute more effectively to climate goals. The program remains a critical element of the strategy for a sustainable transportation future, and our evaluation provides a pathway to optimising its success and achieving long-term climate and sustainability objectives.

 

For an independent program evaluation contact our Program Evalution team lead Dana Cross