Clean car changes for PHEVs

Used-imported plug-in hybrids (PHEVs) now qualify rebates under the clean car discount (CCD) scheme.

The Imported Motor Vehicle Industry Association (VIA) adds that all future imports will also benefit from gaining carbon dioxide (CO2) credits under the clean car standard (CCS).

Following representations by VIA, Waka Kotahi has corrected the methodology used in calculating CO2 emissions for used imports.

“You need to go onto the Fuelsaver website and reprint fuel labels for any used, unregistered PHEVs you have on the yard and the system will automatically update the CCD rebate eligibility for the vehicles,” says Malcolm Yorston, VIA’s technical manager.

“All future imports will benefit with both rebates under the CCD and CO2 credits under the CCS.”

It was on May 9, 2023, that Autofile Online reported VIA’s position on PHEVs. Previously, used plug-in hybrids were assessed for their CO2 emissions in a different way to new PHEVs. This resulted in major differences between the two for their ratings under the clean-car policies.

At the time, Kit Wilkerson, VIA’s head of policy and strategy, said: “We have long raised the problem with the NZTA about used PHEVs. This is finally being fixed although we do not yet know when the changes for this to happen will take place.”

When new PHEVs are imported, their effective EV ranges are taken into account for the CCD and CCS. However, that wasn’t the case with used plug-in hybrids, which have been strictly held to information published in Japan.

“The way Japan calculates their efficiency doesn’t include the electric-only range of models, such as the Toyota Prius PHEV [pictured],” explains Wilkerson. “When this model is imported new and imported from Japan used, it’s essentially the same car.

“CO2 values applied to them have been 20g/km for new and 87g/km for used. It means that anyone who has bought a used imported Prius PHEV in the past few years has [effectively] been short-changed and by not insignificant amounts of money.”