EVs exceed 24,000

EV registrations continue a steady but not spectacular climb in December EV registration figures just released by the Ministry of Transport.

Total EV numbers increased by 493 (from 23,599 in November to 24,092 in December) – way short of the hoped for 32,000 for the end of 2020 to meet a 64,000 goal by the end of this year.

New light pure electrics outdid their secondhand counterparts, up 196 (from 5172 to 5368) compared with a 182 increase for used light pure electrics (from 12,463 to 12,645).

It’s the same for the plug-in hybrid (PHEV) categories.

New light PHEV registrations rose by 54 (from 3572 to 3626) while used light PHEV registrations went up 50 (from 2188 to 2238).

Heavy EVs usually stagger along with increments in single figures but jumped up by 11 in December (from 204 to 215).

That perhaps reflects the introduction of electric buses such as those newly arrived on Waiheke Island in Auckland, and more e-trucks around the country.

Just what action the government might take to help boost EV numbers should be known soon.