A National Government will make Electric Vehicles (EVs) cheaper and reduce our transport emissions through a smart and ambitious electric vehicle plan.

Leader of the National Party Judith Collins announced the policy in Auckland today, alongside National’s Transport spokesperson Chris Bishop and National’s Associate Environment spokesperson Erica Stanford.

You can read National's Electric Vehicles Policy Factsheet here.

The benefits of electric vehicles are extensive, and they are critical to decarbonising the transport sector – our fastest growing source of emissions.

National will:

• Exempt EVs from fringe benefit tax until 2025 to encourage fleet uptake
  
  
• Exempt EVs from Road User Charges until at least 2023
  
  
• Allow EVs to use bus lanes and high-occupancy lanes
  
  
• Target a third of the government light vehicle fleet to be EV by 2023
  
  
• Set a target of 80,000 EVs on our roads by 2023 – four times the current level

The estimated fiscal impact of the Electric Vehicle package is $93m over four years. This includes $55m over four years in lower revenue from exempting electric vehicles from Fringe Benefit Tax and $38m over four years in electrifying the Government fleet.

“We’re committed to addressing the issue of our transport emissions in a practical and effective way. This ambitious plan will make EVs cheaper and easier to own without unfairly taxing Kiwis.” Ms Collins says.

“We believe the future of transport in New Zealand will be zero emissions. Our ambitious and comprehensive plan will encourage the purchase of EVs, create a thriving second hand EV market, support sustainable transport infrastructure, and lower carbon emissions in New Zealand’s transport sector.”

“Transport emissions are the largest driver of increasing greenhouse gas emissions in New Zealand, having doubled since 1990. National has a bold plan to address this,” Mr Bishop says.

“Labour has failed to deliver a single new policy to increase EV uptake. Their abandoned car tax actually slowed EV sales and, if implemented, would have punished those who could least afford it.

“Exempting EVs from fringe benefit tax will significantly bolster the second-hand market by giving Kiwis access to NZ-new, longer range, late model EVs.”

“Despite promising to electrify the government fleet by 2025, Labour has not even achieved one per cent of its target,” Ms Stanford says.

“National’s policy package is practical, supported by the sector and will deliver immediate positive benefits.”

You can read National's Electric Vehicles Policy Factsheet here.