Subsidies

In 2016, New Zealand’s government set aside a contestable fund (NZD 4 million for the fiscal year 2016/17) to encourage innovation and investment, and to accelerate the uptake of zero and low emissions vehicles, including electric vehicles (EVs) in the country.

To further entice buyers, the government published the Clean Car Discount, which is based on vehicles’ CO2 emissions. From July 1, 2021, buyers of zero-emission vehicles will get a rebate of NZD 3,000 (USD 1,883) for used vehicles, and NZD 7,500 (USD 4,708) for new vehicles (see news articles dated June 24, 2021). These rebates apply to EVs and plug-in hybrid EVs that meet the following criteria: