The doubling of the rebate to $6000 will be applied when households with a combined gross annual income of up to $180,000 purchase an electric vehicle up to the value of $68,000.

People who have already accessed the $3000 rebate under the earlier scheme introduced on July 1 last year and continue to meet the thresholds, will be eligible to apply for the additional $3000 retrospectively.

Energy Minister Mick de Brenni said the rebate was about making EVs more affordable and more accessible to all Queenslanders to slash emissions and act on climate change with cleaner technology.

“We want more zero emission vehicles on Queensland roads with Queensland families to have access to cheaper and cleaner vehicles,” he said.

“We are committed to reducing the cost-of-living pressures of high petrol prices.”

The announcement comes as the Australian Automobile Association revealed from sales data that EV sales in Australia have overtaken petrol-driven vehicles in the medium-sized car category for the first time.

It also follows the Federal Government’s national electric vehicle strategy that was announced earlier this week, including a commitment to introducing a fuel efficiency standard, the one key mechanism to addressing EV supply.

Environmental and renewable energy advocate Solar Citizens said the Queensland rebate was the biggest commitment of any state government towards the affordability of EVs.

“In a cost-of-living crisis, where households are struggling with skyrocketing petrol bills, Queenslanders now have even more of an incentive to start saving big bucks with EVs,” said the group’s clean transport spokesperson Ajaya Haikerwal.

“We know that EVs are up to 95 per cent cheaper to run than a petrol vehicle when charged with rooftop solar, which Queensland is already a leader in.

“What’s important here is the means testing – these subsidies won’t just line the pockets of the ultra-wealthy and will mean that a wide cross-section of the state can access cleaner, cheaper-to-run vehicles.”

With private EV sales on the increase, de Brenni has flagged he wants to see more fleet buyers transitioning away from petrol-powered vehicles by accessing further incentives.

“Queensland businesses can apply for up to five rebates per financial year, providing an opportunity for local businesses to make the switch to electric fleets,” he said.

“This is an opportunity for Queensland businesses to step up and contribute to emissions reduction through transitioning their fleet operations.

“The scheme has already proven popular, and we anticipate this will increase further with the higher threshold and rebate amount.”