James Shaw explains Green Party’s EV policy at Christchurch meeting

The Christchurch EV Owners group hosted Green Party co-leader James Shaw to discuss the Green Party’s recently announced Future of Transport policy.

Shaw spoke to about 60 people after taking his first drive in a Tesla, a Model S belonging to EV City where the event was held.

“I usually drive a Hyundai Ioniq, which I love, but this is different, in a lot of good ways and very exciting to drive,” he says.

The Green Party’s pledge is to make electric cars more affordable and practical for all Kiwis so they can get where they need to go and take care of the environment.

Shaw reiterated the policy plan which includes a national public transport smart card, a commitment to implement both an updated Clean Car Standard and Clean Car Discount and a ban for the import and sale of new ICE light vehicles by 2030, or in line with our major vehicle market suppliers.

The new version of the Clean Car Discount includes a larger discount for zero-emission vehicles.

The ban in part comes from the desire to prevent New Zealand from being flooded by ICE vehicles deemed too dirty to be sold in regions such as the UK, Norway and California, as their ICE vehicle sales bans take effect.

Shaw fielded questions around the current road user charger (RUC) exemption for EVs, opinion on the National Party’s EV policy, and fringe benefit tax FBT) – among others.

He says the RUC exemption will apply until 64,000 EVs are on the road, that National’s EV policy is not ambitious enough and that the Clean Car Discount is more beneficial than a FBT exemption.

He’s also concerned New Zealand is “the last country on the planet” to have vehicle emission standards.

Visit YouTube

for a video of the meeting.