Clean car scheme races past 12,000 rebates

Ōtepoti - New Zealand’s clean car rebate scheme, designed to reduce carbon emissions, has exceeded expectations by reaching 12,000 approved rebates.

The clean car discount scheme is off to an electric start, helping to get more Kiwis behind the wheel of cheaper electric vehicles.

The rebate provides a maximum of $8625 for low and zero emission new and used imports. The programme came into force on July 1, last year.

About $77 million has been provided in the form of rebates for the purchase of 12,000 vehicles.

Since last Friday, a wider range of fuel efficient, electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles quality for the rebate, with details on www.rightcar.govt.nz.

Consumers seeking a rebate on a car they have bought, or wishing more information on the scheme works, should visit www.nzta.govt.nz/cleancar

Monthly EV registration statistics are published on the Te Manatū Waka Ministry of Transport website.

The global climate emergency is a challenge Aotearoa cannot postpone and electric and hybrids vehicles now make up around one percent of Aotearoa’s light-vehicle fleet.

This is a promising start, but it needs to accelerate. Aotearoa needs to avoid being a dumping ground for high-emitting vehicles from other countries moving ahead in the decarbonisation of their fleet.

New Zealanders will see more and more electric and hybrid vehicles on the road. Kiwis buying a new or used car can now join the effort to return to the country to being cleaner and greener.