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$1000/year to drive your EV: Road user charges for electric vehicles from April 1, Transport Minister Simeon Brown confirms
www.nzherald.co.nz
Chris Keall

It will soon cost close to $1000 per year to drive your Tesla or Nissan Leaf.

Electric vehicles will lose their long-time exemption from road user charges (RUCs) on April 1, Transport Minister Simeon Brown confirmed this afternoon.

EV owners will be charged $76 per 1000km (the same rate applied to other non-petrol light vehicles; essentially diesel-powered cars), plus admin fees of $12.44 (online) or $13.71 (over the counter) when you pre-pay for a block of 1000km or more..(See bullet points below for the mechanics of the new system..

The AA says the average motorist drives 12,000km per year, which equates to $912 in RUCs, not including admin fees.

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“This transition to RUC is about fairness and equity. It will ensure that all road users are contributing to the upkeep and maintenance of our roads, irrespective of the type of vehicle they choose to drive,” Brown said.

The previous National government exempted EVs from paying the charge to encourage their uptake. “This exemption was always intended to end when EVs hit around 2 per cent of the light vehicle fleet and we’re now at that point.”

Both the AA and the MIA (Motor Industry Association) had raised fears of “double dipping” by the Crown in the case of plug-in hybrids (or PHEVs) - which could potentially be charged both RUCs and petrol tax.

Brown said that concern had been addressed by a lower RUC rate for PHEVs, whose owners will pay $53 per 1000km. The partial rate assumes that on average, a plug-in hybrid will consume petrol at a rate of just under three litres per 100km.

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Filling a $2b hole

The outgoing Labour Government set March 31, 2024, as the final day of the exemption. Brown said today that he would stick to that date.

Both of the major parties are aware that around $4 billion in revenue is generated each year by RUCs and petrol tax - with around half of that from the latter.

If EVs maintained their RUC exemption as NZ’s fleet electrifies, the Crown would be left with a $2b hole in its books.

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Only light EVs (those weighing 3500kg or less) are losing their RUC exemption. Heavy electric vehicles will be hit by RUCs from December 31, 2025.

The imposition of RUCs represents the other boot dropping for EV sellers.

The first was the elimination of the Clean Car Discount - and the associated “ute tax” on December 31.

December saw record EV sales as the discount entered its final days.

“I hope that with the removal of the CCD [Clean Car Discount] that we don’t go too far backwards in our low-emission vehicle sales,” MIA chief executive Aimee Wiley told the Herald last week.

Wiley said boom-and-bust cycles with various regulatory changes made it difficult for dealers as they ordered cars months in advance.

Overall, she supported the elimination of electric vehicles RUC exemption, however.

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“They’ve had a free ride. It’s time for EV owners to pay their fair share,” Wiley said.

Although the Clean Car Discount has been wiped, and RUCs imposed, Brown said the Government would subsidise the rollout of 10,000 public chargers by 2030 to encourage EV uptake.

The EV charges announcement came on the same day the news cycle was consumed by the resignation of Green MP Golriz Ghahraman following shoplifting allegations. Brown told the Herald the date of the announcement was long-planned.

The RUCs will mainly be paid by wealthier Kiwis. EV registration figures show the heaviest concentrations of electric vehicles in Remuera and other top-earning suburbs (see table here).

MTA: Spend it on roads

Motor Trade Association chief executive Lee Marshall welcomed the move, which he said was necessary as NZ’s fleet electrified.

“Now the challenge is to ensure that the proceeds of the RUC goes where it’s needed – on-road,” Marshall said.

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Weather events of the last 12 months have accelerated the deterioration of our roads, he said.

“The reality is that cyclones and storms are only going to occur more frequently in the future.”

The National Land Transport Fund - to which RUCs contribute - previously went solely to roads.

“In 2020, the law was changed to allow these funds to pay for rail. While rail has an important role to play in our transport network, the principle that road users only pay for roading projects is the correct one, and we trust the Government to follow through on that,” Marshall said.

How to RUCs work?

  • RUCs are pre-purchased in blocks of 1000km online or from the likes of VTNZ
  • Pure EVs will pay $76 per $1000, plug-in hybrids $53 per 1000km.
  • Hybrids that don’t require a charge at the wall, like the Toyota Prius, are exempt. E-scooters, e-bikes and electric mopeds and motorbikes are also exempt.
  • An odometer reading must be given the first time you buy a block of RUCs.
  • An odometer reading is then taken each time your car gets a warrant of fitness allowing NZTA Waka Kotahi to monitor your figures. If the odometer exceeds the RUCs purchased by the vehicle’s owner, they will be invoiced for any difference.
  • There will be a two-month grace period as the new system is phased in.
  • Every EV owner will receive a letter from NZTA before April 1 explaining the system.
  • An individual can be fined up to $15,000 for providing false RUC records.
  • Late payment can incur a 10 per cent penalty on the amount owed.
  • Under the RUC Act 2012, owners of vehicles over 3500kg have to install an approved electronic device for recording mileage.

Chris Keall is an Auckland-based member of the Herald’s business team. He joined the Herald in 2018 and is the technology editor and a senior business writer.

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19 minutes ago, holy ravioli said:

He can offset that against the $8000 subsidy he was opposed to but couldn't...resist!

Well he'd be an idiot to not take advantage if he was in the market for an EV.  Obviously with your Prius you couldn't resist either.

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Those ev owners are idiots.. Rental car company USA selling 20,000  ev vehicles. In Iowa recently people pushing their cars to  charging  station.  Charges wouldn't handle the intense cold.  Wipes their smug faces off. Lol. 

 

 

 

Hj

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11 hours ago, Honestjohn said:

Those ev owners are idiots.. Rental car company USA selling 20,000  ev vehicles. In Iowa recently people pushing their cars to  charging  station.  Charges wouldn't handle the intense cold.  Wipes their smug faces off. Lol. 

 

 

 

Hj

Norway is a cold country-80-90% ev' uptake there.

Must be alot of idiots eh...Handee?

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2 hours ago, holy ravioli said:

Norway is a cold country-80-90% ev' uptake there.

Must be alot of idiots eh...Handee?

No just a stupid Government with a lot of idiots willing to mortgage the country to achieve a silly goal.  Sound familiar?  

The law of unintended consequences:

a Norwegian EV bonanza that has indeed reduced emissions — but at the expense of compromising vital societal goals. Eye-popping EV subsidies have flowed largely to the affluent, contributing to the gap between rich and poor in a country proud of its egalitarian social policies.

Worse, the EV boom has hobbled Norwegian cities’ efforts to untether themselves from the automobile and enable residents to instead travel by transit or bicycle, decisions that do more to reduce emissions, enhance road safety, and enliven urban life than swapping a gas-powered car for an electric one.

Despite the hosannas from abroad, Norway’s government has begun to unwind some of its electrification subsidies in order to mitigate the downsides of no-holds-barred EV promotion.

“Countries should introduce EV subsidies in a way that doesn’t widen inequality or stimulate car use at the expense of other transport modes,” Bjørne Grimsrud, director of the transportation research center TØI, told me over coffee in Oslo. “But that’s what ended up happening here in Norway.”

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I guess Norway can print money to fund these incentives:

The Norwegian EV incentives:

  • No purchase/import tax on EVs (1990-2022). From 2023 some purchase tax based on the cars’ weight on all new EVs.
  • Exemption from 25% VAT on purchase (2001-2022). From 2023, Norway will implement a 25% VAT on the purchase price from 500 000 Norwegian Kroner and over
  • No annual road tax (1996-2021). Reduced tax from 2021. Full tax from 2022.
  • No charges on toll roads (1997- 2017).
  • No charges on ferries (2009- 2017).
  • Maximum 50% of the total amount on ferry fares for electric vehicles (2018)
  • Maximum 50% of the total amount on toll roads (2018-2022). From 2023 70%
  • Free municipal parking (1999- 2017)
  • Access to bus lanes (2005-). New rules allow local authorities to limit the access to only include EVs that carry one or more passengers (2016-)
  • 25% reduced company car tax (2000-2008). 50% reduced company car tax (2009-2017). Company car tax reduction reduced to 40% (2018-2021) and 20 percent from 2022.
  • Exemption from 25% VAT on leasing (2015-)
  • The Norwegian Parliament decided on a national goal that all new cars sold by 2025 should be zero-emission (electric or hydrogen) (2017).
  • «Charging right» for people living in apartment buildings was established (2017-)
  • Public procurement: From 2022 cars needs to be ZEV. From 2025 the same applies to city buses
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On 1/20/2024 at 12:06 PM, holy ravioli said:

You must have a very high opinion of the new  govt,that follows the prior one...then!😆

hi yes I do of Luzon and his ability to get people to work together. ever run a company HR?? 

ever done a management course.? 

 

hj

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3 hours ago, Honestjohn said:

hi yes I do of Luzon and his ability to get people to work together. ever run a company HR?? 

ever done a management course.? 

 

hj

Luxon worked for a Govt coy, Air NZ-Had a board,accountants,lawyers,consultants-I reckon you could run it.

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8 minutes ago, holy ravioli said:

Luxon worked for a Govt coy, Air NZ-Had a board,accountants,lawyers,consultants-I reckon you could run it.

Once again you display a distinct lack of understanding of how a Corporation works.

That said Luxon's Government has a Cabinet (aka Board), accountants, lawyers, consultants, farmers, business owners...  I agree it would be harder to run the Labour motley crew.

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1 hour ago, Chief Stipe said:

Once again you display a distinct lack of understanding of how a Corporation works.

That said Luxon's Government has a Cabinet (aka Board), accountants, lawyers, consultants, farmers, business owners...  I agree it would be harder to run the Labour motley crew.

I notice you can't educate anyone on how a 'corporation works'!🙄

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2 minutes ago, holy ravioli said:

Must of missed it.

I already know the duties of a Chairman.Don't need you to google it for me.

But you clearly didn't - that's why I posted it for you!!!  As I said I can't be bothered wasting my time trying to educate you.

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