Large townships Bendigo and Ballarat have the most electric car charging stations, with nine and six respectively.
But regional cities with smaller populations than Shepparton, including Warrnambool, Mildura, Horsham, Wodonga and Wangaratta have at least one charging station.
Warrnambool, with a population of approximately 35,000, has five.
And Euroa, with a population of just over 3000, has three.
Modelling from the federal Bureau of Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Economics forecasts 60 per cent of new car sales will be electric by 2046, despite no federal targets or subsidies to encourage uptake.
But in 2021, the closest place to Shepparton to get an electric car charged is 35 km away at Tallis Winery in Dookie - the only charging station in the city.
Nearby, the Strathbogie Shire has seven electric car charging stations - including two in Avenel - while Moira Shire and Benalla Rural City have two and Campaspe Shire has one.
In September last year, Greater Shepparton was chosen as one of 17 sites across Victoria to house a new electric car charging station.
The two new 25 kw DC fast chargers in Shepparton and Mooroopna were to be rolled out in a state government bid to help electric vehicle drivers tour regional Victoria.
Four-and-a-half months later, though, no electric car charging stations have been installed.
A Greater Shepparton City Council spokesperson said "work was still occurring behind the scenes".
Shepparton resident Greg Peate said it was "ridiculous" the city was yet to have an electric charging station, particularly "being on a main highway".
Mr Peate purchased a hybrid Toyota model last year and had noticed a significant difference in fuel economy to his former Hyundai.
“For us, it was price, and it probably uses 50 per cent less fuel,” he said.
“You'd be mad not to look at it as an option - we've done well over 1000 km now and only had to refuel once.
“I could see around country towns the hybrid model being ideal, round town it's efficient and it has that power to run on the highway.”
The Federal Government has ruled out providing taxpayer subsidies to boost the uptake of plug-in hybrids and electric cars, instead following a “consumer choice, planned and managed" transition to low-emission vehicles.
“Australians should be able to choose which type of car they drive and the government is continuing to support them in this decision,” Minister for Energy and Emissions Reduction Angus Taylor said.
But Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries (FCAI) chief executive Tony Weber thinks it's only a matter of time before electric and hybrid vehicles are commonplace nationwide.
He said the automotive sector had already committed to a 2030 carbon reduction target.
While electric vehicles continue to represent just 0.2 per cent of the Australian market - one of the lowest rates of developed nations - a record 60,417 hybrid cars were sold in Australia last year, an increase of 93.7 per cent on 2019 sales.
“Australian buyers already have choice across technologies ranging from full electric vehicles, hybrids and efficient internal combustion engines,” Mr Weber said.
“Often, price and the need for a vehicle to perform a specific purpose - such as farming or construction work – are prime criteria in motorists’ purchasing decisions.
“We should continue to encourage buyers to make informed decisions and let the market . . . drive the uptake of new and emerging technologies . . . as we move to 2030 and beyond to 2050.”
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