Driving on electrons from the grid is the equivalent of about $0.60 per “litre” (excl RUCs), $0.40/L overnight, and $0.30/L from solar. And, over their lifetime, and depending on how you charge, EVs can be up to $20,000 cheaper than a petrol equivalent, including upfront costs.

As the price of fuel keeps rising, we see transport as the next big battleground of the 'electric election' and there's a real opportunity to roll out policies that speed up EV adoption and offer more cost of living relief to those who need it most.

An EV salary boost scheme could get nurses, teachers and essential workers into a new EV for $200 a week or less (including charging, tyres and maintenance).

Around 60% of all new cars are purchased by businesses and if those purchases shift to electric now, we would get more EVs into the second hand market, which is critical in bringing forward the ability of lower income households to benefit from the savings EVs offer. Accelerated depreciation and fringe benefit tax relief would help with that.

We also need to maintain the Clean Car Standard so our market does not become a dumping ground for high-emitting vehicles that may have a lower sticker price but will cost much more over time.

As RNZ reported, most New Zealanders are ‘tepid’ on the Government’s response to the fuel crisis. The Budget was mostly focused on fuel, not how we get off it, and our approach to enhancing energy security was mostly just adding more storage tanks (even though electrifying transport was ranked as the best option in a recent Government report).

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