NZ Releases The Emission Reduction Plan

We all share this one planet and the little corner of the earth where our land of the long white cloud sits is a particularly beautiful piece of it. New Zealand has a long history of taking care of our environment, with a commitment to preserving and taking care of our lush green landscapes. While its part of our country's DNA to be conscious of the threats to our environment, climate change has made this more pressing than ever.

On 16 May 2022, the NZ Government released an emission reduction plan that will focus on all sectors across New Zealand. The main aim is to reduce our emissions so we can do our bit in mitigating climate change. This is a comprehensive and ambitious plan, with a multi-prong approach.

"The transition to a low-emissions economy is a significant opportunity to improve our economic prosperity, lower the cost of living, restore nature, address inequality and improve living standards for all New Zealanders. Climate action is an investment in higher-paying jobs, more productive businesses and resilient supply chains."

Source: environment.govt.nz

The plan aims to reduce long-lived greenhouse gas emissions to net-zero and biogenic methane emissions to 24-47% below 2017 levels by 2050. The plan is designed to build off steps that have already been put into effect, including

• Passing the Climate Change Response (Zero-Carbon) Amendment Act in 2019
• Major reforms to the New Zealand Emissions Trading Scheme
• The end of new offshore fossil fuel exploration
• Putting the public sector on the path to carbon neutrality by 2025
• Sustainable finance reforms such as introducing a world-first climate reporting legislation, changing default KiwiSaver providers and establishing the New Zealand Green Investment Finance
• Major investment in public transport and rail, as well as programmes, to encourage New Zealanders to buy cleaner vehicles (e.g. Clean Vehicle Discount).

Furthermore, the plan is designed to improve the quality of life for New Zealanders, with a strong focus on the cost of living, affordable healthier homes and transportation. The plan sums up these as follows:

• Improving access to affordable, sustainable transport options
• Supporting sustainable, healthy and affordable homes
• Making it easier to reduce organic waste and manage it responsibly.

The Role of Electric Vehicles in the Emissions Reduction Plan

Electric vehicles (EVs), hybrids, and plug-in electric hybrids (PHEVs) will play a big role in helping New Zealand to achieve its emission reduction targets. Presently, transport accounts for 17% of emissions produced by New Zealand. This is why the government is incentivising zero and low emission vehicle imports in a bid to get as many EVs and PHEVs on our roads as quickly as possible.

The Clean Car Discount

Customers can already benefit from the NZ government's push for rapid adoption of low and zero-emission by taking advantage of the Clean Car Discount. This scheme provides a cash rebate on all new NZ registered vehicles that meet certain emission thresholds. The rebate is only available for new NZ registrations, with both new and used imports being eligible. For zero-emission vehicles (usually EVs), new and used imports are eligible for a rebate of $7500 (excluding GST) and $3000 (excluding GST) respectively. Low emission vehicles that produce 1-56g carbon per kilometre (such as PHEVs) are eligible for a rebate of $5000 (excluding GST) and $2000 (excluding GST) for new and used imports. The scheme covers additional lower-emission vehicles (57 to 146 grams of carbon per kilometre) with the rebate being worked out for new imports as $7500 less (emissions x $50 x 130/145) and used vehicles being $3000 less (emissions x $50 x 130/145).

An Ongoing Commitment to An All-Electric Vehicle Future

While the Clean Car Discount is something customers can take advantage of right now, the plan also touches on additional steps in future-proofing New Zealand's infrastructure for low-emission transport and providing long-term incentives to sustain the change. For instance, they are currently considering the future of the road user charge exemption for light electric vehicles to extend beyond 2024.

Over the past half decade, NZ's EV charging infrastructure has aggressively expanded. Last year was a milestone for the country, as the NZ government achieved its goal of providing a fast charge station at least every 75km along with our state highway networks. The plan states that this expansion will continue to happen, with the government offering incentives to private organisations to continue to add charging stations to our ever-growing network.

Now is the Time to Own a PHEV

If you're in the market for a new car and have been toying with the idea of going electric, now is a great time to buy. Not only will you be able to take advantage of the Clean Car Discount, but you'll also be doing your part in helping New Zealand meet its ambitious emissions reduction targets. It's a win-win!

A PHEV is a perfect answer for this transitionary period and puts you in a prime position to be ready for an all-electric future. Purchasing a PHEV, such as the Next Gen Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV or 2022 Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross PHEV, will allow you to benefit from all the advantages an EV has to offer, while still having a combustion engine to ease any worries about “range anxiety”. Not only do they provide unparalleled economy and performance, but you are also able to take advantage of the Clean Car Discount scheme.

If you are new to the idea of owning a PHEV, including how they work and a full range of their benefits, you can find out everything you need to know by reading Simon Lucas Mitsubishi's article Your PHEV questions answered.

Simon Lucas Mitsubishi is Auckland's leading dealer and service provider for Mitsubishi. They have the knowledge and skills to provide you with the best possible service. Simon Lucas Mitsubishi has expert knowledge of the current climate for transport in New Zealand, including in-depth knowledge of PHEV technology and how it can fit in with your lifestyle. For more information, get in contact with the team at Simon Lucas Mitsubishi today!

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