The road to electric cars took a significant turn this week as European carmakers and legislators turned against conventionally-powered vehicles.

Nicolas Hulot, France's new Ecology Minister, said future transport plans outlined in Paris on Thursday represent a "veritable revolution" as President Emmanuel Macron's government proposes "an end to the sale of petrol and diesel cars by 2040". Motorists will still be able to drive petrol-powered cars, but car makers will not be able to sell new cars powered by fossil fuels.

In Sweden, Volvo chief executive Hakan Samuelsson announced "the end of the solely combustion engine-powered car" on Wednesday, saying every new Volvo launched from 2019 will have an electric motor.

Volvo's commitment includes fully-electric vehicles as well as hybrid electric and plug-in machines that combine battery energy with petrol or diesel engines.

It does not represent the end of fossil fuels for the brand.

But it does point toward an electric-focused direction spurred by Geely, Volvo's China-based parent company. The brand has invested in new production facilities in China that will build a new fully-electric model to rival the likes of Tesla, which saw a drop in share value on the back of Volvo's announcement.

Most car companies have now invested in electric vehicles.

Mercedes-Benz chief Dieter Zetsche used the 2016 Paris motor show to unveil "an electric product offensive that will cover all vehicle segments, from the compact to the luxury class".

The Volkswagen Group is also betting on electric power in the wake of its diesel emissions scandal. VW is preparing to launch a hybrid-electric version of the popular Golf in Australia, where Audi and Porsche already offer plug-in hybrid vehicles.

Those three brands are also working on fully electric vehicles.

Mitsubishi and Nissan were the first carmakers to launch local electric-only cars in the unpopular i-Miev and Leaf hatchbacks. A new Leaf is around the corner, while Mitsubishi is expected to reveal future electric models at October's Tokyo motor show.

Renault Nissan Alliance chief Carlos Ghosn, whose company also controls Mitsubishi, visited Australia in June.

While Europe is increasingly committed to zero-emission vehicles, Ghosn says electric cars will not succeed in Australia until substantial government subsidies or incentives are in place.

"I don't think today there is anything to lead us to think that Australia is going to see, soon, electric cars," he said.

"Usually electric cars take off when there is a country policy about supporting zero emissions transportation... at the same time they are supporting communities to develop charging infrastructure, because they know that if there is no charging infrastructure this is not going to take off.

"I don't hear anything from our team showing that there will be support for electric cars in Australia."

The landmark Finkel report into energy security released last month found that Australia could reduce its emissions "with electric vehicles and other clean technologies", but that "these changes may not occur on their own through market forces".

Acknowledging Australia's reluctance to adopt electric cars, it put forward "flexible regulation, reviewing regulatory barriers combined with other tools such as incentives" as a key measures.

BMW Australia boss Marc Werner has been a vocal advocate for electric car subsidies in Australia, telling Drive.com.au in June that "our government is so far behind the times in their view of climate change".

"This is a technology that all major manufacturers across the world have subscribed to," he said.

"Our government has stuck their collective heads in the sand and they are hoping it will all go away."