Lower emission uptake grows in NZ, says MIA

Hybrid vehicles remain the strongest performers in the passenger market, now accounting for one in every three new registrations with consumers engaging with lower-emission technologies although the uptake of fully electric vehicles is progressing at a more subdued pace.

So says Motor Industry Association (MIA) chief executive Aimee Wiley about new vehicle figures for March 2025.

 “We’re seeing a notable shift in the light commercial segment, with strong early adoption of new, lower-emission offerings,” she says.

Hybrid, plug-in hybrid, and battery electric light commercial vehicles accounted for 19.6% of registrations in March and 23% year-to-date (YTD), says the MIA.

This signals a growing intention among businesses to diversify their fleets and explore practical alternatives that align with their emissions reduction goals and day-to-day operational needs, it says.

The Tesla Model 3 sold 79 units (compared to 125 in March 2024), the Polestar 2 68 (162), the Tesla Model Y 66 (74), the BYD Dolphin 48 (20) and the Kia EV5 31 (3).

In March 2025, 11,920 new vehicles were registered, representing a 2.6% increase (304 units) over March 2024 and a 25.5% decrease (4077 units) compared to March 2023, says the MIA.

Battery electric vehicle (BEV) sales totalled 639 5 on last March’s 521 and 1823 YTD from 1223, while new PHEV sales were up from 226 to 467 in March comparisons and 1623 YTD compared with 593 for the same period last year.

Hybrid sales remained high at 3408 in March 2025 (from 2641 in March 2024) and 9146 YTD from 6893.