Call for 250,000 EVs by 2025

Drive Electric has reiterated its calls for a “bipartisan roadmap” to create a greener fleet in New Zealand in its response to election policies announced by Labour and National. 

“To meet New Zealand’s legislated climate ambitions, our analysis shows we need to see at least 250,000 new electric vehicles [EVs] on our roads by 2025 and for this trend to continue through to 2030,” says Mark Gilbert, pictured, chairman of the not-for-profit organisation.

“What we really need is an ambitious bipartisan roadmap to decarbonise the light fleet in-line with the Zero Carbon Act detailed in a New Zealand motor industry plan.

“The light fleet constitutes more than 90 per cent of travel on New Zealand roads and remains a growing component of our nation’s emissions. We can’t leave a transition to chance.”

Drive Electric stresses this country is a taker of automotive technology and the future of light vehicles worldwide is carbon-free. 

“Unless we have a consistent policy roadmap that moves New Zealand towards EVs, we will lock in the importation of second-hand fossil fuel powered cars from markets like Japan and the UK as they decarbonise,” opines Gilbert.

“We congratulate the National party for its policy announcement, including specifying a target of 80,000 EVs on the road by 2023. Hitting these numbers would mean progress. The proposal on FBT [fringe-benefits tax] – in particular – is a step forward. 

“NZTA data for 2019 shows that almost 60 per cent of new passenger cars were bought by companies. Incentivising the corporate fleet to transition through initiatives like this, and access to bus lanes and high-occupancy lanes, is a vital way to introduce EVs into the country.”

Drive Electric would like the next government to go a step further and work with the industry to detail how this country will then get to 250,000 EVs by 2025 and then move to decarbonise the entire fleet. 

It also welcomes Labour’s “recommitment” to the clean car standard. “However, this is just one element of a roadmap towards a light-vehicle fleet that doesn’t emit carbon. A standard needs to be supported by additional measures to enable businesses and consumers to move into emissions-free vehicles. 

“Perversely, without actively encouraging consumers to switch to EVs through tax or other incentives, a clean car standard makes it more likely New Zealanders will buy cheap, second-hand petrol cars exported from Japan or the UK instead of EVs. 

“This will lock in the number of petrol cars on our roads for longer, making it more difficult to meet our climate-change ambitions. It’s fair New Zealanders understand the future must be electric, so they can take this into consideration when they buy their next car.”