The 'Electric Election': energy policies, side by side
Old Man Gas likes to stay up with the play. He's hip. He's cool. He uses words like 'lit' and 'fire' around the young'uns🔥 and he's always keeping an eye out for the latest technologies - except, of course, for those pesky electric ones that render him obsolete in our homes.
The Gas Industry Company recently released a report showing how much it would cost to switch off the gas network and move to electric options. There were plenty of inaccuracies and unrealistic assumptions. It also completely ignored the role of rooftop solar to bring electricity costs down.
You can read our response to that report here.
And you can see a number of case studies showing households saving thousands every year on their energy bills by getting off gas, petrol and diesel, embracing electric space and water heating, cooking and driving, and installing solar and batteries.
So, are you going to believe these New Zealanders who have told their story to a fiercely independent organisation that works to reduce bills for customers? Or are you going to believe an industry that's trying everything it can to prop up a declining business?
Don't invest in the wrong tech. Kick Old Man Gas to the curb and make your next purchasing decision electric.
'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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