How much will your road trip cost you?

Sadly, with the current cost-of-living pressures from rising prices and interest rates, fuel prices are going to cast a bigger shadow than usual when it comes to the summer road trip.

For some, rising fuel pricing will shorten those summer travels, whilst others may cancel their plans altogether.

In response to skyrocketing fuel costs, new analysis showed seven in 10 Aussie drivers have changed their driving habits, and half of those feel that fuel efficiency standards would save them money. So where are they?

Back in April the federal government launched the National Electric Vehicle Strategy, where they committed to introducing fuel efficiency standards.

This policy has the potential to safeguard the Australian road trip, by unlocking cheaper and cleaner ways to get around.

For this to become a reality, the policy must align with Australia's needs and match the standards already required by most OECD countries. They must be implemented promptly so Australians can start reaping the benefits.

And for those asking: "what are they?" These standards are like a compass guiding car makers towards cleaner vehicles, rewarding them for going in the right direction and penalising them for veering off course.

By setting a yearly limit on the average carbon emissions across a manufacturer's new car sales, fuel efficiency standards incentivise manufacturers to make all new vehicles more efficient.

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This reduces our reliance on expensive petrol and diesel cars, a change already underway in places where such policies exist like the European Union, UK, and the USA, to name a few.

With fuel efficiency standards, Australians can expect to save up to $1200 on running costs annually and up to $10,000 over a car's lifetime.

That's a whole lot of extra cash that can go back into local communities when we're out on the road. We just need the government to knuckle down and deliver what they promised.

Essentially, inefficient petrol and diesel cars are becoming prohibitively expensive to maintain, making domestic holidays unaffordable for some.

Every new car sold today will be on the roads for an average of 10.6 years.

Every day the federal government delays putting fuel efficiency standards in place, Aussie drivers are missing out on these benefits and Australia remains a dumping ground for inefficient cars.

As 2023 comes to a close, let's hope fuel efficiency standards are at the top of the government's new year resolutions, otherwise we could end up stuck in the mud with inefficient petrol and diesel cars, instead of embracing a smoother road ahead.