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BYD's Atto 1 is "set to become New Zealand’s cheapest electric car, with a starting retail price of $29,990 plus on-road costs ...This pricing sees the Atto 1 go head-to-head with some of the very cheapest cars on the market, in a move that sees the industry inch closer towards price parity between electric vehicles and internal combustion engine cars. The Atto 1 is just $7000 more than the cheapest car on sale in New Zealand currently, the $22,990 Suzuki Ignis (a model that is being phased out next year). It also undercuts the cheapest Toyota currently on sale, the $33,490 Yaris GX."
The sticker price remains a barrier for many when it comes to EVs, so having these come down should help to increase adoption rates and improve the lifetime cost comparisons.
On average, an EV charged with rooftop solar will save you almost $20,000 over the lifetime of the vehicle and charging via the grid will save you around $10,000. Those numbers factor in the higher upfront costs of EVs, but because electric vehicles are so much better at using energy to create motion than petrol or diesel vehicles, it makes them much cheaper to run and there's no competition when it comes to carbon emissions.
In the UK, EVs overtook petrol cars in October, with one in four new cars fully electric and sales of petrol and diesel cars down by a third.
We are seeing a gradual increase in sales in New Zealand after the big dipper of 2023 when the subsidy was removed (according to Stuff, overall, BEV registrations were up 28.5% in August compared to the same time last year), but the growth is pretty anaemic compared to some other markets.
Phoenix Recycling looks to extend its battery life with a new agreement; Toyota gets set to bring in the 'Electrolux', but is it a 'masterclass in doing EV utes wrong?'; a new electric hearse hits the streets, while electric cremation is an option in Canterbury for those who want to continue the trend at the end; how China is saving lives by electrifying; the digital museum of plugs and sockets; and the Fossilvision song contest sets the world on fire.
Read moreDownloadHigh fuel prices are hurting different demographics in different ways. We've seen stories of low-income households having to choose between food and transport; businesses reliant on diesel that are on the brink as margins shrink; and now, those in rural districts spending "as much as five times more of their household budgets on fuel than city dwellers".
Paul Spain heads to Central Otago to meet Mike Casey at Electric Cherries, exploring what happens when tech thinking meets hands‑on farming. Mike shares his journey from scaling tech startups in Sydney to creating New Zealand’s first fully electric cherry orchard, powered by onsite solar to reduce energy costs and build long‑term resilience. The conversation dives into the real economics of electrification, smart infrastructure choices, and how practical technology decisions can unlock productivity, sustainability, and future growth for New Zealand businesses.
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