Support for electric car use in the ACT has grown significantly after 11 large companies pledged to switch a portion of their fleet cars to electric vehicles.

 

The backing comes after the Canberra charge network opened limited operations under the Better Place Australia consortium, which will complete its network in Canberra later this year.

 

''You have factories gearing up around the world to start producing tens of thousands, they will arrive in Australia in the middle of 2012,'' Better Place Australia chief executive officer Evan Thornley said.

 

“Our job is not to replace petrol stations with battery swap stations ... the most important places to have a plug is in your garage at home and at your work,'' Mr Thornley said.

 

One of the first fully electric cars to crack the Australian will be the Renault Fluence Z.E, a combined effort from Renault and Toyota, and was on display. Although pricing is yet to be confirmed by Renault, the Z.E is likely to be similar in cost to the $30,000 standard petrol model.