Electric car campaign needs more juice

The Green Party today welcomed the Government's campaign to raise the profile of electric vehicles (EVs), but warned that the absence of any plan to make them affordable means EVs will be out of reach for most New Zealanders.

The comments follow the release of Treasury advice which said that the Government's only electric vehicle incentive (an exemption from Road User Charges until 2021) would be an ineffective subsidy and cost the country $40 million.

Treasury also described the Government’s $6 million contestable EV fund as "low-value spending and a missed opportunity to prepare New Zealand for widespread uptake of low-emission vehicles".

“It's fantastic so many groups are working to raise the profile of electric vehicles. The National Government could do so much more to make it easier for more New Zealanders to buy an electric car," said Green Party transport spokesperson Julie Anne Genter.

“The Government’s advisers in the Treasury are saying the only incentive National has to offer is ineffective, and won’t result in more electric vehicles on our roads.

“The Green Party would make electric vehicles affordable by exempting them from fringe benefit tax, which has the potential to reduce the up-front cost by more than a third.

“New Zealanders want to lead the switch to clean electric cars, powered by local energy, and end our reliance on expensive and dirty foreign oil,” said Ms Genter.

Latest Climate Change Announcements

Story

Greens launch petition to save oil and gas ban

The Green Party has launched a petition to save the ban on oil and gas exploration.
Read More

Story

Green voice crucial for climate action

The Green Party is today welcoming Labour’s climate manifesto, but is clear that much more will need to be done to tackle the climate crisis.
Read More

Story

Climate future of communities on the line this election

Green Party co leader James Shaw attended a South Dunedin Future street meeting today to discuss local responses to climate change.
Read More

Story

National’s climate pledge a joke

Today’s pledge from the National Party to deliver net zero carbon by 2050 is a bad-faith, disingenuous, and empty promise.
Read More

Story

National needs to come clean about climate cuts

The National Party needs to come clean about the impact of its plan to raid the climate budget and cancel $2 billion of investment in action to cut...
Read More

Story

New $750m fund part of Climate-Safe Communities plan to protect towns and cities from flooding

The Green Party has today announced a Climate-Safe Communities plan to both cut emissions and protect our communities from the impact of climate ch...
Read More

Latest Transport Announcements

Story

National put climate action into reverse gear

The National Party’s plan to install EV chargers while at the same time making it harder for people to buy an EV is bizarre and ridiculous.
Read More

Story

Prioritising roads over climate is simply irresponsible

The Government’s decision today to prioritise new roads is the exact opposite of what Aotearoa needs right now and needs a rethink.
Read More

Story

Irresponsible Auckland harbour crossing bad for climate and bad for congestion

Throwing tens of billions of dollars at another six lanes of traffic is not going to solve Auckland’s congestion problem - and is grossly irrespons...
Read More

Story

It’s official! The Green Party the only grown-ups in the room on public transport

People are tired of the three yearly public transport merry-go-round. It literally doesn’t get anyone anywhere.
Read More

Story

National’s transport policy rehash of failed ideas

The National Party's visionless obsession with highways is the exact opposite of the smart investment Aotearoa needs in zero-emissions transport in...
Read More

Story

ACT policy will create roads exclusively for the well-off

ACT’s proposal for private highways will see only those who can afford to pay expensive tolls able to use the roads.
Read More