Electric vehicles on NZ roads nearly triple in two years

Thursday, 15 August 2019

The number of electric vehicles on New Zealand's roads have nearly tripled in the past two years.

There are currently 15,453 registered electric vehicles (EVs), up from 5363 in October 2017.

The Government has announced another $4.5 million of funding for EV infrastructure as part of its Low Emission Vehicles Contestable Fund, matched by $12m from the private sector.

The Government has given another $4.5m to electric vehicle infrastructure, matched by $12m from the private sector.

This includes more than $750,000 towards getting electric trucks and heavy vehicles onto the road, as well as expanding the charging network to include Castle Hill and Arthur's Pass in Canterbury and Mahia, Tokomaru Bay and Ruatoria in the Gisborne reason. Two chargers will be installed on each of the Interislander's three ferries.

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The funding will add more than 140 new chargers to the national network.

Other projects include funding for two heavy electric vehicles for Dempsey Wood to be used as a trial to test the viability of electric vehicles in the construction industry, and for the Warehouse to lease four electric trucks for their daily home delivery services in Auckland, Christchurch, Hawkes Bay and Manawatu.

KAM transport will receive $150,000 funding towards replacing a 24-tonne diesel truck used to deliver chilled food to McDonalds restaurants and wholesalers in the Wellington CBD with an electric version.

Under the contestable fund, the Government has assigned $20.9m spread across 120 projects in the last two years, matched by $40.7m from applicants.

Energy and Resources Minister Megan Woods announced the latest funding from Blackwell Motors in Christchurch, which received $115,425 towards a electric truck they will loan to their customers to trial on long test runs.

Woods said smart investments such as those made by the fund were why the number of electric vehicles in New Zealand had nearly tripled in the last two years.

She said it was a key part of the Government's plan to tackle climate change as transport created 19 per cent of New Zealand's emissions.

'The focus of the fund is to continue to improve public charging infrastructure for EV drivers, increase use of electric heavy vehicles, and invest in innovative technology, such as smart charging. We want to make it easier than ever for New Zealanders to get around in low emissions vehicles.'