This amounted to 73,000 fully electric vehicles and 30,000 plug-in hybrids.
EV purchases are four times higher since July 2021. Expectations have been exceeded.
However, the Clean Car Discount — which lowered the cost of most electric cars and increased the price for gas guzzlers — ended on December 31.
Also, from April 1 light electric vehicles will be subject to Road User Charges (RUCs).
The demise of both subsidies is a disincentive. But are they enough to halt the momentum? And should the taxpayer be paying to support EV sales?
No doubt, the last months of the discount encouraged a fleet of wavering buyers to bring forward purchases. A lull in sales for the early months of this year is to be expected.
It is likely, though, that electric sales have sufficient momentum to build up again, especially because EV prices have dropped markedly, spurred by China-made cars.
The introduction of RUCs, based on distance travelled, had been delayed and then scheduled for April 1.
Many owners themselves believe EVs should pay their share for maintaining and improving the roads. The EV share of the fleet is above 2%. Excluding them would cause a $2 billion budget hole.
Naturally, questions arise over fairness and the size of the charges. It seems that owners of small, efficient petrol cars, paying for roads through petrol taxes, might receive a better deal. Hybrids could overpay if drivers use their cars on combustion mode much of the time.
Overall, the new system piggybacks diesel RUCs to achieve relative simplicity.
The EV charge will be $76 per 1000km. The plug-in hybrid figure is $53. There are also administration fees.
Transport Minister Simeon Brown promises to introduce RUCs instead of petrol taxes for roading costs across the board. This should allow for tiered pricing for light vehicles. This goal is only in its early stages.
While EV prices are becoming more competitive, the capital cost remains the primary drawback.
The price of petrol will also play a role in EV uptake.
EV signs internationally are mixed.
BMW’s chief financial officer has said last year was the tipping point in the decline of the combustion engine, and Norway led the way with more than 80% of new light vehicles being electric.
China internally and through exports is amping up EV sales. New car combustion engine bans still loom in China, California and Europe in the 2030s.
United States sales lagged well short of ambitious government goals, and General Motors and Ford have scaled back production plans.
Hertz has sold off a slice of its US electric fleet, citing higher collision and damage costs.
Longer term, battery advances, faster and wireless charging will make a difference.
The clean car discount served a purpose.
No doubt, its continuation could have helped lower New Zealand’s transport carbon emissions in its attempt to come close to meeting the 2030 target.
However, as with many such schemes, taxpayers were paying for the benefit of not just the environment but also the well-off.
Far more EVs were bought in Parnell than Porirua.
Pre-election, National claimed its alternative — met with some scepticism — was positive.
The EV infrastructure would be "supercharged" with 10,000 public charging stations by 2030, up from about 1200.
It behoves the government to put its foot on the pedal and fulfil this promise because "range anxiety" and potential charging delays remain an impediment to EV use.
The road to widespread EV adoption will be bumpy.
But their running cost advantages alongside further technology advantages should ensure they continue to secure larger slices of new car sales.
Meanwhile, the government can play a role in nudging that along.
