EV owners get more benefits

EV drivers may soon be able to use bus and high occupancy vehicle lanes, while heavy EVs will be exempt from road user charges from September 1.

That’s among rule changes announced by transport minister Simon Bridges.

The road user charges exemption has one rider – it will apply until EVs make up 2% of New Zealand’s heavy vehicle fleet.

Light EVs are already exempt from paying road user charges until December 31, 2021.

“On top of all of the other benefits that EVs generate, extending this exemption to heavy EVs will offer a significant cost reduction to the operators of these vehicles,” Bridges says.

Changes have also been made to Land Transport rules, which from September 1 will enable road controlling authorities (NZ Transport Agency and councils) to make bylaws allowing EVs access to special vehicle lanes.

“The positive acceptance of EVs in New Zealand is having real benefits,” Bridges says. “We are now offering more choice in new EVs than ever before. We are also seeing an increase in the number of used EVs importers are bringing into the country.”

Bridges says it’s great that both private and public sector organisations are helping uptake by choosing EVs for their fleets.

“Over the past year we’ve also seen an increase in businesses opting for EVs as non-passenger vehicles, including light vans for food delivery, public transport and refuse trucks, all of which are great uses for EVs. We want to see this extend to operators of heavy vehicles as well with these latest changes designed to encourage this growth.”

Going electric is not only good for business, but makes best use of New Zealand’s plentiful renewable energy supply, improves air quality and minimises greenhouse gas emissions, Bridges says.

The government’s Electric Vehicle Programme, released in May last year, includes wide ranging measures to encourage EV uptake. The target is to double the fleet each year, reaching 64,000 EV registrations by the end of 2021.