Submissions sought on Light Electric RUC Vehicles Amendment Bill

Public submissions on the Road User Charges (Light Electric RUC Vehicles) Amendment Bill are sought by parliamentary transport and infrastructure committee chair Andy Foster by noon Thursday March 7.

RUC contribute towards the cost of maintaining roads and generally tend to apply to all vehicles used on New Zealand roads.

However, owners of light electric vehicles (EVs) have been exempted from purchasing RUC licences since 2009 to encourage people to purchase EVs, the exemption ending when EVs reached 2% of New Zealand’s light vehicle fleet.

This Bill would require owners of light EVs and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) under 3.5 tonnes to pay RCU from April 1, 2024, buying a RUC licence and displaying it on the windscreen.

A two-month transition period would allow for people to register their vehicle without being penalised for unpaid RUC.

The bill would amend the Road User Charges Act 2012 to require light EVs to have a RUC licence when the RUC exemption expires on March 31, 2024, allow for a reduced RUC rate for PHEVs which already pay fuel excise duty on any petrol purchased and, without a reduced RUC rate, would face higher taxation for their road use; and exempt very light EVs with a gross vehicle mass of 1000kg or less from paying RUC.

The bill would also amend the 2012 regulations to add a new vehicle type (type 12) for PHEVs and amends the Road User Charges (Rates) Regulations 2015 to apply a reduced rate of $53 per 1000km for PHEVs.

Click here to make a submission and here for more bill details.