Quiet town beating the rest of Australia in big national race: 'Saving $6000 annually'

Yahoo

20-06-2025

As Australia pushes to cut carbon emissions and reduce household bills, electrification has emerged as a key focus — from the cars we drive to the way we power our homes. But while rooftop solar is booming, the transition to electric vehicles (EVs) and fully electric homes remains modest.
Nationally, just 2.7 per cent of vehicles on Australian roads are electric, according to the Electric Vehicle Council. While over 10 per cent of new cars sold are now electric, that figure still trails the UK (17 per cent), Germany (19 per cent) and Norway (over 80 per cent). At the household level, gas is still widely used, and many homes are poorly equipped to make the switch.
Advocates argue the future of EVs in Australia looks bright, but in a quiet corner of Victoria's Bass Coast, one community has already quietly surged ahead, offering a glimpse of what a fully electrified future could look like.
At The Cape, a purpose-built sustainable estate in Cape Paterson, more than 30 per cent of households now own an electric vehicle. Every home is powered without gas, using rooftop solar and passive solar design principles, and achieves an average eight-star NatHERS energy rating — well above the national average of 6.2 stars for new builds. "More than 30 per cent of households have an EV," Director and resident Brendan Condon told Yahoo News Australia.
"Homes are 100 per cent electric with no gas connections, powered by rooftop solar, and designed using passive solar principles. This community-wide commitment to electrification, from the grid to the garage, makes [us] a national front-runner and an insight into the future of a fully electrified Australia."
The estate comprises 230 residential lots, with about 140 homes completed and over 250 residents. More than 95 per cent of EV charging is done at home, helping cut costs and reduce strain on the wider grid, particularly in a regional area where public charging infrastructure remains limited.
"Even in regional areas, most trips are local or to nearby centres like Wonthaggi and Inverloch, which are well within EV range," Condon said. "A round trip to Melbourne is under 300 kilometres, which is easily achievable by numerous long-range EVs now on the market."
The Cape also challenges the notion that electric living is the preserve of wealthy inner-city enclaves. While upfront costs are still a barrier, residents claim long-term savings. Condon says homes that pair solar with energy-efficient design and an EV can save upwards of $6,000 annually. Once fully built, the community is projected to save more than $1 million a year.
"These are 'super bill-busting' homes," he said. "That money stays in household budgets and bank accounts, which is significant in the current cost-of-living crisis."
Experts agree that electrifying homes and vehicles is essential to meeting emissions targets. The Climate Council estimates that switching to solar and electric could save households $3,000 to $5,000 a year and cut domestic emissions by up to 42 per cent.
It also supports energy independence and grid resilience by decentralising power generation.
Still, challenges remain. Critics point to the cost of EVs and the difficulty of retrofitting older homes. There are also concerns about supply chains, mineral dependency for batteries, and whether the national grid is ready for widespread electrification without major upgrades.
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But Condon believes communities like his show what's possible when sustainability is designed from the ground up. With the federal government introducing a New Vehicle Efficiency Standard in 2025 and aiming for net-zero emissions by 2050, more neighbourhoods may follow suit.
"[We're] a real-world blueprint," he said. "It shows how communities can decouple from expensive fossil fuels and thrive — creating zero-emissions, climate-resilient neighbourhoods that aren't just imagined, but built."
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