Do you give your car a person's name because it feels like a bit of a friend? 

What about your first car? Surely that had a name? 

How about a microwave? Do you have a Michael, a Milly, or a Wendy sitting in your kitchen? Probably not. Actually, I kind of hope you don't - because that would be a bit weird, right? 

Now stay with me here because I want to talk about the reasons there are barriers to the uptake of electronic vehicles (EVs). 

"People are very attached to their cars and car culture, particularly in Western NSW," explains Western NSW Local Health District (WNSWLHD) Acting District Manager Fleet Services, Daniel Robinson.   

"We have a very strong car culture - people have an emotional attachment to traditional cars that they don't seem to have to electronic vehicles - people seem to see them more as microwaves," he told the Western Plains App. 

In Western NSW, drivers are driving on average 8 million kilometres a year in traditional cars, he said. 

Mr. Robinson is one of four awardees granted more than $73,000 at PITCHit 2023 to drive positive changes across the Western District in service, patient care, and community support.  

The Acting District Manager Fleet Services' It Ain't EV Going Green' by Mr. Robinson received the highest score of all the awardees and was awarded $14,850 in funding. 

Daniel Robinson (on left) with fellow PitchIt winner Anna Noonan. Image: Supplied. 

In partnership with the University of Sydney, the project aims to explore the psychosocial factors relating to the uptake of EVs for the District's fleet of cars.   

"I was really blown away by this opportunity. It's going to make a big difference to our work and the goals of the LHD to reduce our carbon footprint," Mr Robinson said. 

The NSW Government EV Strategy aims to drive sales of EVs to more than 50% of new car sales by 2030-31. 

"I am going to be looking at the barriers to update of EVs in Western NSW. The NSW government's targets will be a massive feat for us to aim towards. Cost of construction and fear of technology often stands in the way," Mr. Robinson explained.   

"The international research so far suggests a lack of trust and concerns in the reliability of the new technology. But this problem has not been examined from a rural and regional perspective". 

He said the demographics of those who have adopted electronic vehicles in Australia are males who are on high incomes and highly educated.  

"But there are some genuine concerns about this technology, and we need to take those seriously."