Hon Simeon Brown
Minister of Transport

Changes to the Land Transport (Clean Vehicle Standard) Act will enable changes to the emissions targets more easily with a review of the Clean Vehicle Standard currently underway, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says.

“Large changes in technology, fuel efficiency, and consumer trends and preferences means that the Clean Car Importer Standard needs to be able to change to ensure Kiwis have access to the types of vehicles they want to buy,” Mr Brown says.

The Clean Car Importer Standard regulates vehicle importers to reduce CO2 emissions to specified targets. Vehicles with a high emissions-to-weight ratio incur charges, while vehicles with a low emissions-to-weight ratio incur credits.

“The current targets should ensure that New Zealand has an affordable mix of clean vehicles, but the settings put in place by the last Government were set without any ability for review regardless of the cost they might put on consumers.

“The Government’s changes mean that in the future, the Clean Car Importer Standard will be able to be set by regulation rather than altered through legislation, which can take a long time. It also ensures that the Standard operates on a user-pays model to minimise costs to taxpayers.

The Government is currently undertaking a review of the Clean Car Importer Standard’s emissions targets.

Changes to the Land Transport (Clean Vehicle Standard) Act will enable changes to the emissions targets more easily with a review of the Clean Vehicle Standard currently underway, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says.

“Large changes in technology, fuel efficiency, and consumer trends and preferences means that the Clean Car Importer Standard needs to be able to change to ensure Kiwis have access to the types of vehicles they want to buy,” Mr Brown says.

The Clean Car Importer Standard regulates vehicle importers to reduce CO2 emissions to specified targets. Vehicles with a high emissions-to-weight ratio incur charges, while vehicles with a low emissions-to-weight ratio incur credits.

“The current targets should ensure that New Zealand has an affordable mix of clean vehicles, but the settings put in place by the last Government were set without any ability for review regardless of the cost they might put on consumers.

“The Government’s changes mean that in the future, the Clean Car Importer Standard will be able to be set by regulation rather than altered through legislation, which can take a long time. It also ensures that the Standard operates on a user-pays model to minimise costs to taxpayers.

The Government is currently undertaking a review of the Clean Car Importer Standard’s emissions targets.

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