‘The Government’s approach to electrification is woefully inadequate and it is putting NZ firmly in the global slow lane.’

LATEST revision to regulation intended to lower emissions from vehicles and encourage adoption of electric product is simply harmful and is a handbrake on EV uptake.

That suggestion comes from the chief executive of a Christchurch firm making smart chargers for EVs.

Ed Harvey (above), who runs EVnex, says intents to amend the Clean Car Standard announced by Transport Minister Chris Bishop this week is poor policy.

Government is weakening one of the few policies that was helping NZ keep pace with global progress, at a time when the country urgently needs a clear plan, he said in shared comment today.

“What we are missing is leadership. The Government’s approach to electrification is woefully inadequate and it is putting NZ firmly in the global slow lane on electrification,” said Harvey.

“This move is embarrassing, and unfortunately, while other developed countries are strengthening their targets, we are going backwards, and New Zealanders are going to be the ones paying for this Government’s lack of leadership.”

Intents announced on Monday are the Government’s second look in 14 months at CCS, a regulation enacted in 2023 by the previous Labour Government that was achieving aim of reducing CO2 count from new cars with that administration but under the current National-led coalition is not.

CCS charges importers for vehicles that have CO₂ emissions-to-weight ratios above a certain target, with credits for vehicles with ratios below that target.

However, those impositions are now being lowered and other requirements will be relaxed.

The Government says this will make new cars more affordable, critics believes clean air targets that were already not being met now will become even more unlikely to be achieved in the future.

The change of climate, so to speak, ties directly back to reduced interest in electric cars - a state the current administration effectively triggered.

It first dropped the penalties buyers felt directly when buying high emissions product, under a system called Clean Car Discount, then also pulling a rebate to incentivise uptake of fully and heavily (plug-in hybrid) electric cars.

Interest in those technologies has suffered massively over the past 24 months.

While EV sale in 2025 are almost 20 percent up on 2024, to date this year just 6394 were registered - well off the final good year for EVs, 2023, when more than 21,000 were plated.

Harvey says the Government is focusing on short term affordability while ignoring the long term savings EVs deliver for households and the wider economy. He says this lack of long term thinking is hurting EV adoption.

“Minister Bishop and the Government are being totally disingenuous in saying that these changes are to help New Zealanders save money.

“We know for a fact that electric and hybrid vehicles are cheaper to run over their lifetime and we now have studies showing that batteries are holding up well after hundreds of thousands of kilometres,” Harvey said.

“A vehicle is usually the second biggest purchase people make, so it's natural for them to be cautious about new technology when Government support for infrastructure and policy isn’t clear.

“When policies are scrapped and standards are weakened, people lose confidence and delay the shift. That is exactly what is happening here.”

He says the drop in EV sales is not a sign of declining interest, but the result of dismantling the previous strategy.

“New Zealanders are being told the fall in EV sales is down to lack of demand, but the real issue is the absence of a plan.

“When the Clean Car Discount was removed, nothing was put in its place and there has been no clear direction from the Government on electrification.

“This is just the latest in a series of steps this Government has taken to put a handbrake on the move to electric transport.”

Harvey says weakening CCS sends a message that NZ is prepared to accept higher emissions and fall out of step with international norms. Most countries are accelerating toward cleaner transport.

“New Zealand can still recover from this, but only if the Government sets a clear direction now.

“Strong standards, stable policy and proper support for EV infrastructure are what give people confidence.

“Without that, we will keep slipping behind and miss out on the environmental and economic benefits other countries are already seeing.”

Harvey’s comment was the second from an industry involver about CCS.

Yesterday the prominent online marketplace for used cars, Trade Me, announced via the Stuff Motoring website it now owns backing for CCS changes, seeing them as a trigger for reduced new and used car prices.