The Government's latest anti-electric vehicle move - weakening the Clean Car Standard - will mean higher petrol bills for Kiwis for decades to come, says Kathryn Trounson, Chair of the Better New Zealand Trust.

"This is the latest in a series of policies from Minister Simeon Brown that will mean more gas guzzlers on the roads. First he scrapped the Clean Car Discount, then he put a higher road tax on EVs than on hybrids and some petrol cars, and now he's gutting the emissions standards.

"Before this government started its anti-EV policies, New Zealand was at the forefront of clean transport, now we're at the back of the pack. Under this government, average emissions of new vehicle imports are up 32% and EV sales are down 81%.

"The Clean Car Standard was the one policy left that was effective in driving down vehicle emissions. Weakening it will set us back years. Minister Brown is acting in the interests of car importers who want to dump the gas guzzlers other countries don't want on to New Zealand.

"A weaker Clean Car Standard will mean fewer fuel efficient vehicles in the marketplace and on the road, leading to higher petrol bills for Kiwi families and billions more in oil import costs for New Zealand.

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