The 'Electric Election': energy policies, side by side
Labour's Jo Luxton, a list MP contesting the East Cape electorate, is next up on our Political Power series, and she's a fair way down the electric path.
The so-called "princess of the provinces" has electric cooking and heating at home, but the hot water still runs on gas.
"I'd love to do solar, but it's got to be affordable , right," she says (it's already affordable because it's the cheapest electricity homes can get, but there's an access issue; here's something we prepared earlier on that www.rewiring.nz/ras).
Luxton did have a fully electric car when she was living in the South Island, but a shift to the East Coast saw her go back to a hybrid as the range (and also the lack of charging infrastructure) meant it was hard to make it around the region. Many newer EVs now with ranges of over 600km, so there's less need to, as we like to say, 'half-ass it with a hybrid' these days.
As for her predictions on what the energy system will look like in 2040, she sums up our dreams pretty well: "I hope there's a whole lot more electric, actually, and I hope that everyone has solar. That would be amazing, right?"
See all our Political Power interviews here ⚡https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL2NZIJNQSg6QhkQc8DIdR9JSn0f0zz6zi
'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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