Action on EVs needed
The government’s proposed Zero Carbon Bill assumes significant electric vehicle (EV) uptake in the coming years due to more transport innovation, higher emissions prices and stricter transport laws.
However, experts say the government must do more to incentivise and encourage a consumer shift to EVs if it is to come close to their ambitions.
Currently, the government expects EV uptake to increase to 95 per cent of the light vehicle fleet and 50 per cent of the heavy vehicle fleet by 2050.
“From a consumer point of view, it’s unachievable [to own an EV],” Colmar Brunton head Sarah Bolger said to the National Business Review (NBR).
“When you’ve got one of the biggest issues being cost of living, the thought of trying to add an electric vehicle into that just doesn’t make any sense.”
Sustainable Business Council chief executive Abbie Reynolds agrees.
“If we are going to meet our carbon targets, they are going to have to find a way to incentivise it.”
Reynolds told NBR around 17 per cent of New Zealand’s carbon footprint is transport and a “big chunk” of that is private vehicle use.
“It’s a material piece of our carbon footprint for New Zealand and we’ve got James Shaw saying, ‘I want to be net zero by 2050'.”
She says the average age of vehicles in New Zealand roads is 16 years old.
“It’s a fantasy to think that we are going to change out all our vehicles for EVs, and it’s not helpful either, because it doesn’t help with the congestion issue and all of the other side issues you get with vehicles – we just need to get more comfortable with sharing.”
She says New Zealand faces a dilemma in that global demand is outstripping supply for EVs.
“The thing about New Zealand’s vehicle fleet is most of it is second hand, so it’s about when we can get in from Japan and the UK.”
She says while a complete shift to EVs is clearly unachievable, alternative transport options could provide part of the zero-carbon puzzle.
“At this point, they are not affordable and it’s an aspiration, but people are finding other ways.
“We don’t want to just change every ICE [internal combustion engine] for an EV. Things like sharing vehicles, micro-mobility (such as bike- and moped-sharing services) really matter too.”
Last month all-electric vehicles and plug-in hybrids have reached 12,197 in New Zealand.
The latest Ministry of Transport monthly electric and hybrid light vehicle registrations figures show December’s numbers are up 449 on August's 11,748.
