The Australia Institute has released a paper looking at the policies Norway has used to give it the highest share of electric vehicle sales per capita in the world.

The Scandinavian country has an ambitious target of ending the sale of all new internal combustion engine vehicles by 2025.

Last year 42 per cent of new car sales were electric, while Australia's rate was 0.6 per cent.

Norway's policy incentives include reduced one-off registration tax, GST exemption, circulation tax waivers, reduced fees for toll roads and ferries, and access to bus lanes.

Norwegian Electric Vehicle Association head Christina Bu says Australia can do it with government support.

"It's simply ridiculous that Australia, with an embarrassingly low level of electric vehicles, would tax them instead of incentivise them," she said.

The Morrison government hasn't released a policy to increase electric car sales despite promising one in February last year.

A consultation paper on the strategy has been flagged for release by the end of the year.

Meanwhile, Victoria and South Australia have ruffled the sector's feathers by announcing electric vehicle charges to offset losses in fuel excise.

The Electric Vehicle Council says this is at odds with the states' aims of achieving net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.

The council has released University of Queensland research showing the tax could reduce electric vehicle uptake by 50 per cent.

The study shows 90 per cent of cars on the roads must be electric by 2050 for zero emission targets to be viable.

Electric Vehicle Council chief Behyad Jafar compares the measure to replacing declining tobacco excise with a tax on nicotine patches.

"You're either for an electric vehicle tax or you're for a 2050 zero target," he said.

"You cannot be for both."

Australian Associated Press