Celebrating rise of EVs

Drive Electric is marking this year’s World EV Day – September 9 – by highlighting the increasing shift towards cleaner vehicles.

Mark Gilbert, Drive Electric’s chairman, says electric vehicles (EVs) are worth celebrating as their market share worldwide is on the rise, with data showing plug-in models made up 14 per cent of the new vehicle market in July and battery electric vehicles (BEVs) accounted for 10 per cent. 

In New Zealand, he says BEV registrations have jumped 50 per cent this year from the same period of 2021 and 23 per cent of new vehicles sold here in August were electric.

“New Zealand is now one of the leading markets globally for EVs after the Nordic countries and China,” adds Gilbert, pictured. 

“As we move to EVs, our fleet is getting cleaner. The average amount of CO2 [carbon dioxide] being released by vehicles imported in New Zealand is down 18 per cent this year.”

He is pleased to see Chinese electric carmaker BYD is now retailing in New Zealand and notes the marque has sold more EVs worldwide so far this year than Tesla. New Zealand has also seen the launch of its first electric ute, which is being offered by LDV, “and more will come”, Gilbert adds.

Drive Electric is a not-for-profit organisation with the goal of making e-mobility mainstream in order to support New Zealand’s low-carbon future. Its membership is made up of more than 50 organisations representing the finance, automotive, infrastructure, energy and government sectors.

To find out more about EVs or to compare those available in the new-vehicle market, visit the Drive Electric website.