MAY 2021 MAZDA’S FIRST EV p. 04 P. 08 P. 11 P. 12 TESLA TALK EV VIRGIN CONFESSES EWORLD DELIVERS Drive your business forward with 1 EVSCall AND Steve BEYOND Owens MAY 2021 now| WWW.EVSANDBEYOND.CO.NZ on 021 947 752 YET MORE By Geoff Dobson, TALK Editor was eagerly awaiting transport minister Michael Wood’s As Wood says, the Government will consider the Climate release of the Ministry of Transport report on dealing Change Commission’s advice by December 31 (will they Iwith transport emissions, wrongly assuming there might decide on their Christmas break?). be an immediate action plan included. Meanwhile, plenty is covered in the MoT’s discussion Yes, I shoudn’t assume anything – I know! green paper Hikina te Kohupara. Especially after Wood dodged anything to do with timelines It includes much that was talked about at the eworld two- and actions when addressing the eworld conference in day conference – such as the need to change our towns West Auckland on May 7, prompting Drive Electric chair and cities to reduce dependence on private cars and other Mark Gilbert to ask why it’s taking so long - adding that vehicles, perhaps pushing more people to use electric the Government has talked about greening the fleet for public transport, car share, subscription, e-mobility, walk, years. bike, maybe fly. “Nothing is happening.” E-mobility and aviation aren’t really core subjects in the Now we have more talk, with consultation closing on MoT report – perhaps electric vertical take-off and landing June 25 on the 158-page report Hīkina te Kohupara – Kia air taxis have a way to go before they really take off. mauri ora ai te iwi - Transport Emissions: Pathways to Nor is the use of driverless shuttles (possibly because Net Zero by 2050. rules don’t yet allow them on public roads). The title itself is a mouthful, so try digesting its contents. So, changing the way we travel will help and working from It talks about nearly everything already suggested, home has become accepted during COVID times so will including banning petrol and diesel cars and vans by 2050, probably continue with perhaps fewer days required at the introducing congestion charging and road pricing, hiking office, which means less commuting too. parking charges, stopping importation of new fossil fuel The discussion paper mentions hydrogen and biofuels vehicles from 2035 – and more. (along with “sustainable aviation fuels”), but surely Perhaps rising petrol and diesel prices will do more to biofuels are more a stop-gap measure? persuade people to switch. A more efficient freight system is discussed too, shifting The report outlines potential policies and pathways to freight to low emission modes such as e-trucks which a net zero emission transport sector, Wood saying the are already gaining traction. discussion paper will contribute to the Government’s OK, so the state sector will get 422 EVs and associated Emissions Reduction Plan to be released by the end of charging infrastructure, and the Government is talking up 2021, leading to a 10 to 15-year action plan. the Clean Car (Import) Standard and says other measures He adds that big changes will be needed in coming to reduce emissions are coming. decades – “and it won’t be business as usual”. But as Gilbert and others say – make a decision, any Really? decision as even if it’s the wrong one it can be changed later! In the meantime, more fossil fuelled vehicles will arrive here and as most people keep their vehicles for many How much more consultation and talk do we need while years our emissions will continue rising rather than the planet continues to disintegrate? dropping. Time for action is becoming overdue, I say. Congestion is already a bugbear in our main cities now and is likely to worsen. I’m hoping some tax breaks to encourage uptake of low to zero emission vehicles or other forms of e-mobility might be in the May 20 budget – but I’m not holding my breath. EDITORGeoff Dobson 2 EVS AND BEYOND MAY 2021 | WWW.EVSANDBEYOND.CO.NZ GOVERNMENT TALKING UP EVS IN ITS CARBON NEUTRAL PATHWAY MICHAEL WOOD hat’s the Government doing for carbon neutral public sector by 2025. EVs? “The conversion of government fleets also WThat’s the $67.4 million question. means more demand for electric vehicles, Announcements ahead of the May 20 Budget which will start flowing through into the include delivering $67.4 million over four secondhand market, making EVs more years to support the transition to a carbon accessible for everyone,” Shaw says. neutral public sector by 2025 – which “Electric vehicles are much better for the includes $41.8m for leasing low emissions climate than those powered by fossil fuels.” vehicles (LEVs) across the public sector. Acting conservation minister Dr Ayesha JAMES SHAW “A carbon neutral public sector is a key part Verrall says the funding will help DOC of this government’s plan to address the to remove 490 tonnes of carbon dioxide of carbon. climate emergency. Budget 2021 sets us equivalent (CO2e) per annum from its vehicle • $0.084m for the Education Ministry to lease firmly on the path to achieving that goal,” fleet emissions profile. three EVs and install charging infrastructure says climate change minister James Shaw. “That’s a 19% reduction over DOC’s vehicle (plus $0.084m from its own budget), saving The budget boost will also accelerate the fleet emissions compared to the 2018/19 about 64 tonnes of carbon. Government’s ‘electric vehicles first’ policy, financial year. • $0.758m for ACC to buy 25 EVs and install he adds. “Combined with other DOC vehicle emission charging infrastructure (plus $0.758m from New Zealand’s COVID-19 management reduction programmes, the total projected its own budget), reducing carbon emissions not only means the economy is in better reduction is 26% once all the electric by about 350 tonnes. shape than expected, “but that we’re in a vehicles are on road.” • $0.029m for Hawke’s Bay DHB to buy one position where we can think ahead to the Agencies are required to purchase battery EV and install charging infrastructure (plus type of public sector we want for future electric vehicles (BEVs), or plug-in hybrid $0.032m from its own budget) reducing generations.” electric vehicles (PHEVs) if a BEV is not carbon emissions by about 36 tonnes. That includes where social workers and appropriate for the proposed use. Meanwhile, the New Zealand Government midwives can visit people in EVs and where Recipients include: wants feedback by June 25 on a range of people can access essential local services in potential policies to eliminate transport • $4.306m for the Northland District Health clean, energy-efficient buildings, Shaw adds. sector emissions with transport minister Board (DHB) to lease 150 EVs and install Michael Wood releasing a Hīkina te “We are now leading by example and charging infrastructure, the DHB investing Kohupara – Kia mauri ora ai te iwi - committing support from Budget 2021 $4.306m from its own budget, reducing Transport Emissions: Pathways to Net to measure and report emissions across carbon emissions by around 3840 tonnes Zero by 2050 report from the Ministry of government, upgrade public organisations over 10 years. to cleaner sources of energy, cut emissions Transport. • $0.983m for the New Zealand Defence from transport, and improve the efficiency of Wood says the discussion paper will Force to procure 32 EVs (a mix of leasing and government buildings.” contribute to the Government’s Emissions buying) and install charging infrastructure Reduction Plan to be released by the end of Funding will come from the Government’s (plus $1.380m from its own budget), cutting 2021, leading to a 10 to 15-year action plan. $200 million State Sector Decarbonisation carbon emissions by about 1050 tonnes in 10 Fund (administered by the Energy Efficiency years. He adds that big changes will be needed in and Conservation Authority), which has coming decades – “and it won’t be business • $0.493m for Te Puni Kokiri to buy 16 EVs committed $13.1m for 422 EVs and charging as usual”. and install charging infrastructure (plus infrastructure. $0.511m from its own budget), expected “While the pathways outlined in Hīkina te It will see $5.1m go to the Conservation to reduce carbon emissions by around 363 Kohupara are not government policy, we Department (DOC) to buy 148 EVs and install tonnes over a decade. want to have a national conversation about associated charging, and $1.1m will help the changes we all need to make.” • $0.108m for Statistics New Zealand to buy Kainga Ora do the same with 40 EVs. four EVs and install charging infrastructure The Green Paper’s three key themes are: DOC will invest $5.127m and Kainga Ora (plus $0.108m from its own budget), saving 1. Changing the way we travel. We need $1.126m from their own budgets. 78 tonnes in carbon emissions. to shape our towns and cities to make it The move is expected to save about 11,600 • $0.096m for Scion to buy three EV and easier, safer, and more attractive for people tonnes of carbon emissions over 10 years, install charging infrastructure (plus $0.105m to access work, schools, shops, and other accelerating the Government’s plan for a from its own budget), saving about 65 tonnes opportunities by public transport, walking, Continued on following page... WWW.EVSANDBEYOND.CO.NZ | EVS AND BEYOND MAY 2021 3 MAZDA MX-30 POLARISES AND DELIGHTS azda has finally arrived in the rarely hit 200km.