Document 2
Excerpt from draft Cabinet paper - draft dated April 2018
Office of the Associate Minister of Transport
Chair, Cabinet Environment, Energy and Climate Committee
MOVING TO A LOW EMISSIONS LIGHT VEHICLE FLEET: PROPOSED DIRECTION
Proposal
1. This paper seeks Cabinet’s agreement to the direction of a discussion document for public
consultation on options for transitioning to a low emissions light vehicle fleet in
New Zealand.
Executive summary
10. I propose that the following options are canvassed for vehicles entering the fleet:
10.1. legislating that by 2035, all light vehicles entering New Zealand must be
capable of being driven without fossil fuels;
Requiring all light vehicles imported from 2035 to be capable of being driven without
fossil fuels gives certainty to industry and consumers
11. I propose legislating that by 2035 all light vehicles entering New Zealand must be
capable of driving without fossil fuels. This means that all light vehicles entering the fleet will
be zero emissions or low emissions. The types of vehicles currently meeting this
requirement are pure electric vehicles, hydrogen fuel cell vehicles, plug-in electric hybrids
and vehicles capable of being driven purely on biofuels.
12. An end date of 2035 supports the goal of New Zealand being a net zero emissions
economy by 2050. It will send a clear signal that the long term direction is to phase out fossil
fuels in road transport, and puts impetus on government to work to meet the target with
supporting policies. Actions to improve fuel efficiency and accelerate EV uptake would
support this requirement.
13. This direction will provide certainty to the vehicle and energy industries, and to
consumers. It will give greater confidence to transition to low or zero emission vehicles and
renewable energy sources for transport. This will accelerate the widespread provision of EV
charging infrastructure. The legislated end date provides greater certainty to consumers that
they can confidently switch to EVs.
14. The end-date of 2035 is a suitable target for New Zealand. Once policies to regulate a
vehicle fuel efficiency standard and introduce a feebate scheme are in place, in time it is
likely that the great majority of vehicles entering the fleet will be zero or low emissions. For
instance, the Ministry’s fast-base scenario for EV uptake projects that light vehicle
registrations will be over 80 per cent in 2035. This scenario assumes that there are no
barriers to the supply of electric vehicles to New Zealand.
15. This proposed requirement reflects similar statements made by other countries, including
the United Kingdom, Norway and the Netherlands. However, mandating the end date
through legislation would be unique.