EVs up but not enough

EV registrations continue to climb but still look to fall short of this year’s 32,000 target.

September EV registrations rose 599, from 22,022 in August to 22,621 last month, according to the latest Ministry of Transport figures.

However, even at that rate of increase – the best since the COVID-19 restrictions started lifting – the number of EVs will be more than 7500 below the end of year 32,000 goal with three months to go.

That’s what is required to reach the 64,000 EVs target by the end of 2021, the figure set in 2016 under a National-led government without requiring any policy intervention.

It now seems apparent that some sort of policy is needed to reach 64,000 EVs on our roads, perhaps along the lines suggested by EV advocacy group Drive Electric.

Major political parties National, Labour and the Greens

have since announced their policies, but Drive Electric says a bipartisan action plan is needed.

Meanwhile, the uptake of new EVs outshone the secondhand EV sector in the latest stats.

Registrations in the new light pure electric market rose 243 (4680 to 4923) in the September figures compared with a 228 increase (11,788 to 12,016) in the used light pure electric sector.

Used light plug-in hybrids (PHEVs) increased by 74 (1991 in August to 2065 in September), while new light PHEVs went up by 53 (from 3373 to 3426).

Heavy EV registrations went up by just one to 191 in September.