The 'Electric Election': energy policies, side by side
Every time the price of petrol shoots up, we see the same kind of advice: ‘Fill up now before it gets even higher’; ‘Shop around for cheaper fuel’; ‘Use your 6c off a litre coupons; ‘Change the way you drive and stretch your tank’. We’re mostly short-term creatures so these are all pretty normal responses to a price shock, but if you're looking to save money on fuel the best advice is to think longer term and remove yourself from the volatility of imported energy entirely.
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).
'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.
Read moreDownload
