New figures on the inaugural World EV Day lay bare the government’s failure at decarbonising the transport fleet and spurring the uptake of new EVs, say National’s transport spokesperson Chris Bishop and associate environment spokesperson Erica Stanford.
“The Coalition agreement between Labour and NZ First says that the government will aim for the government’s vehicle fleet, where practicable, to become emissions-free by 2025-26,” they say.
Transport and economic development minister Phil Twyford reveals in answers to written questions the government counts 15,000 cars in its fleet, but as of June 2020 just 108 of them were electric – less than 1% of the fleet.
In 15 months the government has bought just 37 EVs, Bishop and Stanford say.
“Like in so many areas, this government talks a big game but has utterly failed to deliver. Today’s figures are humiliating for a government that claims ‘climate change is our nuclear free moment’, the pair add.
“To make matters worse, overall EV uptake in New Zealand has flatlined after a disastrous three years of policy inertia by Labour. It was reported that just 838 electric passenger cars and SUVs have been registered, compared to 906 in the same period last year,” Bishop and Stanford say.
“Electric vehicle sales should be rising strongly in New Zealand but Labour’s three years of policy failure has stopped the momentum built up under the last National-led government. Just a few months ago the government disbanded its own Electric Vehicles Leadership Group.
“National is the party of electric vehicles. In government we set a target to double the number of EVs in New Zealand, established policies like the road user charges exemption to help get us there, and implemented a suite of measures to encourage EV uptake.”
Perhaps indicating a coming EV policy announcement, Bishop and Stanford say Kiwis can look forward to an ambitious and positive EV agenda under the next National-led government.
TransportTalk is seeking a response from Labour to National’s claims.
