Govt ‘left in the dust’ on electric cars – Greens

The Green party is continuing to swing at transport minister Simon Bridges over a lack of action on electric cars.

EVTalk was the first to report last week Nissan New Zealand had ended sales of new Leafs, the most popular new EV to date.

The Greens says the lack of movement by the government on the issue was partially to blame for the end of the model.

“There is a huge opportunity for electric vehicles to cut our contribution to climate pollution and our $6 billion annual oil import bill but the National Government is being left in the dust,” Green Party transport spokesperson Julie Anne Genter says.

“Other countries have plans to shift their vehicle fleets from petrol to electric, but the National Government is still stuck in the gas-guzzling Twentieth Century. It’s no coincidence EV manufacturers are now pulling out.

“Nissan says its decision was purely commercial but it’s clear that if the Government was doing something real to encourage electric cars the cost/benefit balance would be different,” says Genter.

In EVtalk, Nissan New Zealand managing director John Manley did not directly say a lack of government support was a factor – but did imply it.

“Nissan Leaf is the world’s largest selling EV (near to 200,000 sales) and it has performed very well in markets where there are a range of initiatives, providing tangible support for EV or low emission vehicles.”