Electric Hyundai's number plate leaves petrol car drivers snickering: 'Thanks for admitting it'
While there's been only a very small number of electric vehicles that have gone up in flames, it appears the notion is still at the forefront of many minds.
Australians are known for our witty sarcasm and dry sense of humour, but it takes a special kind of kind of person to be able to poke fun at themselves, or more specifically — their whip. Across the country, the electric car rollout hasn't been without controversy, but sales remain strong and this year is set to shatter sales EV records nationally.
Advocates say they're cheaper to run, better for the environment and the next step in our electric evolution. However opponents have questioned their efficiency and regularly cite combustion as a reason against making the EV switch.
While there's been only a very small number of EVs that have gone up in flames, it appears the notion is still at the forefront of many minds. One Aussie EV driver from the Northern Territory, apparently aware of this perception, decided they'd add fuel to the metaphorical fire.
They registered their Hyundai Ioniq 5, one of Australia's most popular EVs, with the number plate "FYRHZRD" — a play on the words fire hazard. Catching wind of the in-joke, people online quickly flocked to discuss it, with one person "thanking" the driver "for admitting it".
"I bet he's really rustling some jimmies with that one... the rate of EV battery fires in Australia has been statistically zero," one Aussie argued in response. While in statistic form, the rate may be zero, there have in fact been six reported EV combustion incidents in the country since 2020.
"Unlike those fireproof petrol cars," somebody else joked.
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Others said the plates were a bad "dad joke", while some used them as a launch pad into a more serious discussion. "I think EV fires are still a valid concern because of how much harder they are to put out," a responder said. "I do worry about what happens when an EV fire happens in a basement car park. I see them charging all the time in apartment buildings."
To which another driver responded: "They're safer than petrol cars actually. By a large margin".
It's the not the first time an EV number plate has made Aussies laugh. Last year, a Tesla with the number plate "Tosla" — an apparent reference to the word "tosser" — was spotted in WA.
Australia's EV rollout moves from strength to strength
Meanwhile, Australia is on track to shatter EV sale records across the country as new data emerges showing "unprecedented" demand for the environmentally-friendly vehicles.
Electric and hybrid vehicles are being spotted by drivers all over the country in increasing numbers, with figures released in July reflecting the fact "Australia has never had so many electric vehicles on the road".
According to the Electric Vehicle Council, Australia is on track to hit an annual milestone of 100,000 EV sales this year, with 30,000 battery electric (BEV) and plug-in hybrid vehicle (PHEV) sales recorded in the second quarter of 2024 alone — the first time Australia has cracked that figure in a single quarter.
Electric Vehicle Council chief executive office Samantha Johnson says "these sales figures are without precedent". "Australia has never had so many electric vehicles on the roads," she said. "It was a record-breaking quarter for combined battery and plug-in electric vehicle sales."
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