Electrification overlooked in government’s 10-year transport plan

Drive Electric has joined the chorus asking where EVs fit in the Government Policy Statement (GPS) on Land Transport, 2020/2021-2030/2031.

If climate change is a strategic priority of the GPS, where is the ambition for decarbonising the light fleet? the EV advocacy group questions.

“The next 10 years are critical in the fight against climate change, and the GPS must reflect that,” Drive Electric chair Mark Gilbert says.

“Right now, the GPS falls well short of the urgent transformation required in the transport sector.”

Infrastructure NZ also branded the GPS a missed opportunity for EVs.

“The GPS acknowledges that the transport system contributes almost 20% of New Zealand’s greenhouse gas emissions, and therefore responding to climate change has been made one of the four strategic priorities of the GPS,” Gilbert says.

“However, the outcomes specified are nowhere near the level of ambition necessary, and the outcomes being pursued are vague,” he adds.

Gilbert says the GPS is predicated on New Zealand’s existing commitment to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to 30% below 2005 levels by 2030 under the Paris Agreement on Climate Change.

“To stay within 1.5 degrees of warming, we need to reduce emissions in New Zealand by around 60% by 2030.

“To do this we must focus on decarbonising road transport. Finding emissions savings in other areas, like agriculture, is much more difficult.”

Conversely, the GPS suggests that revenue from the National Land Transport Fund, supported by fuel excise and Road User Charges (RUC), is projected to increase from around $4.4 billion in 2021/22 to $5.1 billion in 2030/31, Gilbert points out.

“This suggests the Ministry of Transport expects more kilometres will be driven by fossil fuel-powered vehicles.

“RUC and fuel excise must be anticipated to fall, along with emissions from cars and utes,” he says.

“We agree with the GPS that part of the answer is more public transport, improvements to freight corridors, and better active transport.

“However, 90% of the kilometres driven on our roads come from light vehicles.

“We must have a plan to actively decarbonise the cars Kiwis drive every day.”

Gilbert says it’s essential New Zealand produces a bipartisan New Zealand Motor Industry Plan, together with industry, that sets out how emissions can be eliminated from the light fleet.

“Reducing emissions from cars also has co-benefits for our nation’s health by improving the quality of our air.

“We are also concerned that specific references to enabling the transition to a low emissions light fleet are completely missing – including, for instance, investment in a comprehensive network of charging infrastructure.

“Urban transport design and inter-city transport routes must enable electrification. This is happening in other countries around the world.”

Gilbert says the GPS must be updated and strengthened to respond to the emissions budgets set by the Climate Commission in 2021, and include a more ambitious and clear pathway towards a zero emissions transport system.