CCS to be aligned with Australia – likely to impact EVs

The Government will align the Clean Car Standard (CCS) – now known as the “Clean Car Importer Standard” – with Australia to reduce vehicle prices for Kiwis.

So says transport minister Simeon Brown, adding changes to emissions targets for 2025-2029 from January 1 next year will provide the vehicle import market with certainty and ease cost of living pressures on Kiwis the next time they need to purchase a vehicle.

The changes are expected to shift gear for EV buyers, and time will tell how that affects overseas manufacturers’ willingness to supply EV models here.

“The Government supports the Clean Car Importer Standard to ensure that New Zealand has an affordable mix of clean vehicles,” says Brown.

“Following a comprehensive review into the (Clean Car) Standard we will be making key changes to ensure the (Clean Car Importer) Standard strikes the right balance between reducing transport emissions while ensuring that New Zealanders have access to affordable vehicles.

“If we don’t change the path we are on, we will simply pile costs onto consumers while also failing to make emissions reductions,” he says, adding that otherwise New Zealand won’t have access to the low emission vehicles needed to meet the strict CCS “as manufacturers are not in a position to introduce them to our market”.

Brown says Commercial Vehicles will align with Australia from 2026 and Passenger Vehicles from 2027.

He says legislation will be introduced to make further changes to provide more flexibility into the use of the Clean Car Importer Standard’s emission credits and charges to support achievement of the targets.

“We will also be exempting disability vehicles from the (Clean Car Importer) Standard,” says Brown, adding this change will take effect as soon as possible after the new regulations are made, probably in a few weeks.

 “New Zealand and Australia are effectively one car market – so it makes sense to have the same approach to CO2 emissions standards between our two countries.”

The Government will review the Clean Car Importer Standard’s targets every two years.

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