Kiwis ready to move to car subscription, test EVs

At least half a million Kiwis plan to ditch their own car and move to a short-term rental model in a bid to have more flexibility around the choice of car they drive, and when.

That’s according to recent research which reveals more than two in three (69%) Kiwis expect priorities in their car usage to change in the next five years, with around 626,000 Kiwis indicating they will move to a car subscription model.

The research was part of a special report commissioned by Avis New Zealand, and run by YouGov Research, to provide a full picture of the changing interests and needs of Kiwi road trippers over the past year and into the future.

Alternative vehicle ownership models are on the rise internationally with vehicle subscription programmes predicted to account for nearly 15% of all new vehicle sales in 2025, says Avis New Zealand general manager Bryn McGoldrick.

“Our research shows Kiwis are increasingly looking to have access to a car rather than having to own one.

“They’re also a great ‘toe in the water’ for electric vehicles, allowing people to test for longer before they buy or long-term subscribe to EV.”

This was also supported by the research results with three in five Kiwis (60%) saying they would rent to try an EV before they buy.

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