General Motors announcement overnight that it would end production of combustible engine driven cars by as soon as 2035 is further evidence the automotive industry is rapidly embracing electric vehicles, and that governments risk being left behind if they don't start deploying charging infrastructure to support an expected spike in EV sales.

General Motors has joined Volvo and other vehicle manufacturers to either end or commit to ending the use of combustible engines within the next 15 years, prompted by policy-makers like Boris Johnson, who has committed to banning UK sales of petrol and diesel powered vehicles by the end of the decade.

The election of Joe Biden in the US presidential election is also expected to accelerate the shift to EVs, with the new president committing to transition his government's fleet of 650,000 vehicles.Global Electric Technologies (GET) CEO Harry Hamann said Australian state and federal governments needed to act quickly to deploy charging stations throughout the country to support the growth in EV sales, which are expected to make up half of all new car sales by 2035 according to the BIRTE.

There has been a clear shift even in just the past few months towards electric vehicles with car manufacturers sending their strongest signal yet that they will transition away from petrol and diesel vehicles sooner than perhaps first anticipated, Hamann said. If they don't act soon, government's will be playing catch up in terms of rolling out rapid charging stations like the ones GET installs for residential and commercial buildings.

In the absence of momentum from government, our charging solution can be deployed anywhere and we're receiving more and more interest from developers and body corporates for bespoke systems to be incorporated into new buildings or retrofitted into existing structures because they have recognised the need for charging stations to support consumer demand.

With electricity within easy reach of most of the population, the GET charging solution is based on the premise that the very idea of taking your vehicle to a purpose built place for charging like a petrol station will become a thing of the past, as infrastructure is rolled out to enable drivers to charge and go.

Charging your EV should become as routine as charging up your mobile phone and if the infrastructure is where people park, they will top up while out and about  for example while shopping for groceries, going to the movies or eating at a restaurant.

But this shift can only happen if charging infrastructure is deployed, with governments uniquely placed to inspire private investment in this roll-out through deploying infrastructure of their own, Hamann said.