Govt driving the switch to electric vehicles
Hon Simon Bridges
Minister of
Transport
Minister of Energy and
Resources
5 May
2016 Media Statement
Govt driving the switch to electric
vehicles
Transport Minister Simon Bridges
today announced an ambitious and wide ranging package of
measures to increase the uptake of electric vehicles in New
Zealand.
“It’s clear that electric vehicles are the future. A move from petrol and diesel to low emission transport is a natural evolution, and it is our aim to encourage that switch sooner, rather than later,” Mr Bridges says.
“The benefits of increasing uptake of electric vehicles are far-reaching. They’re cheaper to run than petrol or diesel vehicles, they’re powered by our abundant renewable electricity supply, and they’llreduce the amount of emissions that come from the country’s vehicle fleet.”
The package announced today will tackle and remove barriers that have until now prevented households and business from choosing electric. Current barriers include the limited selection of models available; a lack of widespread public charging infrastructure; and lack of awareness about electric vehicles.
“The Government can’t tackle these barriers alone. That’s why we’ve been working closely with the private sector and local government over the last year on what measures we can take that will have the greatest impact.
“What we’ve come up with together is a strong package of measures that is ambitious and has real substance,” Mr Bridges says.
The Government’s package includes:
• A target of doubling the number of
electric vehicles in New Zealand every year to reach
approximately 64,000 by 2021
• Extending the
Road User Charges exemption on light electric vehicles until
they make up two percent of the light vehicle fleet
•
A new Road User Charges exemption for heavy electric
vehicles until they make up two percent of the heavy vehicle
fleet
• Work across Government and private
sector to investigate the bulk purchase of electric
vehicles
• Government agencies coordinating
activities to support the development and roll-out of public
charging infrastructure including providing information and
guidance
• $1 million annually for a
nation-wide electric vehicle information and promotion
campaign over five years
• A contestable fund
of up to $6 million per year to encourage and support
innovative low emission vehicle projects
•
Allowing electric vehicles in bus lanes and high-occupancy
vehicle lanes on the State Highway network and local
roads
• Review of tax depreciation rates and
the method for calculating fringe benefit tax to ensure
electric vehicles are not being unfairly
disadvantaged
• Establishing an electric
vehicles leadership group across business, local and central
government.
The package also seeks to realise the many benefits that electric vehicles offer up.
“This includes annual savings of Road User Charges of $600 a year for the average vehicle owner and much cheaper operating costs. On average, charging an electric vehicle at home is equivalent to buying petrol at 30 cents a litre, compared to petrol which is around $2 a litre.”
Mr Bridges says the package is an important part of the Government’s work to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the transport sector.
“Electric vehicles will maximise New Zealand’s renewable advantage, with more than 80% of the country’s electricity coming from hydro, geothermal and wind. The increased use of electric vehicles will replace petrol and diesel with clean, green, locally produced energy.
“If we start to replace New Zealand’s fleet with electric vehicles, we can begin to significantly reduce our greenhouse gas emissions.”
Further information on the Government’s Electric Vehicles Programme is available here: www.transport.govt.nz/ev
ends