Holden in LHD EV call

Holden New Zealand has indicated it wants to sell electric vehicles in New Zealand, with the caveat that they will be left-hand drive.

While speaking to automotive media last night at the launch of the new Equinox SUV, managing director Kristian Aquilina says the brand wants to be involved in the growing electric vehicle market, but it has no right-hand drive vehicles available to it.

But it does have the highly-rated American-built Bolt, available only in left-hand drive. There are no plans for a right-hand drive version of this generation.

Aquilina says they are planning to work with government agencies to allow a small number to come to the country, and potentially even be sold here, in left-hand drive.

“One thing we would like to talk to the government about is the opportunity to bring in a small number of electric vehicles in left-hand drive. If just to demonstrate what they can do.”

He suggests there is a double standard in regulation now, where performance vehicles like the Chevrolet Camaro and Silverado can be imported and registered through the current enthusiast and permit schemes.

One thing we would like to talk to the government is the opportunity to bring in a small number of electric vehicles in left-hand drive. If just to demonstrate to the government what they can do.

“We are happy to do it with a few enthusiast cars under certain restrictions, but we can’t do the same for electric vehicle enthusiasts?”

He does not believe there are significant safety issues around the driving of left-hand drive cars on right-hand drive-tailored roads.

“I was in Japan last week for business, and there you have right-hand drive and left-hand drive working cohesively on the road without any safety issues,” he says.

He does not believe the left-hand drive Bolts will be a significant volume proposition, and if they did that would provide a justification for General Motors to build a right-hand drive version in future generations.

Aquilina says Holden is a ‘forgotten leader’ in the electric vehicle market, selling the original Volt plug-in here before discontinuing it when right-hand drive production finished. Only a few units were sold.

Drive Electric chairman Mark Gilbert says it’s unlikely Holden will be allowed to introduce left-hand drive Bolts here.

“Whilst rules exist for low volume LHD vehicles I can’t see wholesale change to allow LHD vehicles into a RHD market.

“There is a safety consideration and given all other OEMs have to comply with the right-hand drive rules, I can’t see Holden being given a wild card entry this way.”

Gilbert says it’s certainly disruptive thinking, “and good on them for doing so- but unlikely in my view”.