Minister launches EV information campaign

Transport minister Simon Bridges launched the government’s electric vehicles information campaign to mark the start of International Drive Electric Week.

It has launched a website aimed at connecting New Zealanders to everything they need to know about EVs.

The Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority (EECA) is working with a broad range of stakeholders including businesses, member organisations, local government and EV owners who are supporting the electric vehicles information campaign.

“Ultimately the information campaign is about encouraging New Zealanders to decide that their next car will be an EV,” Bridges says.

The information campaign is one of the 14 initiatives the Government announced in May to help achieve its goal to double the number of EVs on New Zealand roads each year to reach 64,000 by 2021.

The $1 million per year, five year campaign is aimed at engaging and exciting New Zealanders about electric vehicles and overcoming knowledge barriers. It will include a community and events programme, a website, TV advertising and printed material about charging and buying EVs.

“It’s clear that EVs are the future. They’re cheaper to run than petrol or diesel vehicles, they’re powered by our abundant renewable electricity supply, and they’ll reduce the amount of emissions that come from the country’s vehicle fleet,” Bridges says.

International Drive Electric Week events can be found at: leadingthecharge.org.nz/calendar.

The Government’s EV website can be found at: www.electricvehicles.govt.nz

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