The 'Electric Election': energy policies, side by side
It's quiet. It's comfy. And it's fast. Those are the things Sky Ryan loves about the Deepway electric truck, which recently dropped off 123 boxes of cherries to all our MPs as part of The Great Electric Cherry Migration. Her dad Jamie is the general manager of Etrucks, a company bringing lots of big electric kit into the country, and when we talked to her the pair were about to embark on a roadtrip back to Auckland after a successful stint in Parliament grounds. Understandably, she was most looking forward to the multiple ice cream stops along the way and we're pleased to report she got two triple-scoopers.
To many of the young'uns we deal with, cleaner, cheaper electric machines that are run with locally-made energy makes much more sense than smoky machines that are run with imported energy. Baselines shift over time. What's entirely normal for the younger generation may be a confronting technology shift for those living through it. We reckon electric transport is inevitable. But for the benefit of Sky and other kids like her, we hope this transition picks up speed, because we need to do all we can for them.
'Twas the night before Chris-mas, and all through the house, all the voters were stirring, the pundits showing their nous … the election will soon be over, but the energy crisis won't, so we'll be there to pester whoever is in power about the need to run more of the economy on New Zealand-made energy; can Ethiopia's aggressive push for EVs work and how does New Zealand compare in terms of adoption rates?; a two-way charging trial from Genesis shows promise in Auckland, but there's still a way to go before it's mainstream; small electric vehicles are often overlooked when it comes to electrifying transport, but it's hard to miss this weird French one; a solar-powered cafe (and some electric coffee); and we endorse the political vandalism of Keith of All Trades.
Read moreDownloadPoliticians are being urged to adopt stronger electric vehicle incentives ahead of the election. Climate and energy advocacy group Rewiring Aotearoa is arguing that EVs are one of the most effective long-term solutions for rising transport and energy costs. They're promoting an EV Salary Boost proposal, which would allow workers to access EVs through pre-tax salary arrangements – similarly to already existing schemes in the UK and Australia. Policy and Government Relations Spokesperson Ngaio Neumegen told Kerre Woodham that even with the rising cost of power, it's still cheaper to run an EV than a car running on imported fuel.
A proposal that would let New Zealanders lease an electric car using their before-tax pay has not won a commitment from either National or Labour, with the 7 November election days away. Under the EV Salary Boost, put forward by Rewiring Aotearoa and Drive Electric, an employee would lease a new or used EV for three to five years. The payments would come out of their pay before tax, lowering the cost of running the car. The idea is based on Australia’s novated leasing system, though the groups say they are not proposing a direct copy.
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