With the arrival of a new rebate to encourage New Zealanders into EVs, more people than ever are considering trading in their gas-guzzler for a cleaner alternative. So what’s on the market, and how much will it cost you? Joe Canham runs down your options.
This weekend the government announced it will be following countries like Norway and Germany in incentivising the purchase of electric vehicles, in an effort to make them accessible to more New Zealanders. To fund the programme, fees will be added to higher emission vehicles (including many utes and SUVs) from January 2022.
Valid concerns about costs were immediately raised by people who need utes and the like to do their job. The good news is that there are already electric van options, and the range of EVs on the market is widening fast, so it’s only a matter of time before we’re spoiled for choice when it comes to electric-powered utes and light trucks. In the meantime, here’s hoping that the Remuera Tractor trend dies out.
All this talk of cheaper EVs may have you wondering what your current options are, and what they’ll cost under the new programme, so we’ve put together this guide to the electric vehicles available right now on the New Zealand market. Whatever you have your eyes on, remember that to be eligible for a rebate the vehicle must cost $80,000 or less, its date of registration must be 1st July 2021 or later, and it needs to have a safety rating of three stars or higher.
Tip – if you’re searching for a used vehicle on Trade Me, the “excludes on road costs” disclaimer is likely to mean it’s a fresh import and not yet registered, making it eligible for the rebate. But check before buying!
Some quick definitions
Battery electric vehicle (BEV): a vehicle that runs completely on battery power, with no tailpipe
Plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV): a vehicle that charges from the wall and can run without tailpipe emissions for a distance, with an engine that kicks in after the battery power runs out to keep you moving
Electric vehicle (EV): blanket term that encompasses the above two types of vehicle
The rebate amounts
NZ new battery electric vehicle: $8625
NZ new plug-in hybrid electric vehicle: $5750
Newly imported, used battery EV: $3450
Newly imported, used plug-in hybrid electric vehicle: $2300
Many hybrids and efficient combustion cars may also become eligible for a rebate from next year, but they’ll get less than amounts above and the figure will vary based on the vehicle’s emissions rating. For now we’ll just be looking at EVs which are either NZ new or fresh used imports, as these vehicles will be eligible for rebates from July 1.
Now you’re clued up on the basics, let’s see the options.
$0 – $5,000
At the time of writing, there aren’t viable EV options on the market under $5k. This is an issue the rebates should help change in the coming years.
$5,000 – 15,000
Mitsubishi i-MIEV, used, 2009+
Vehicle type: Battery electric
Safety rating: 3 stars
Approximate cost after rebate: $6,000 – $8,000
Note: this model is quite rare, but we may see more used imports coming soon in response to the rebates.
Nissan Leaf, used, 2013-2014
Vehicle type: Battery electric
Safety rating: 4 stars
Approximate cost after rebate: $8000 – $15,000
Note: Prices are highly variable based on battery condition – see The pros and cons of buying a Nissan Leaf in New Zealand
Toyota Prius PHV, used, 2012-2013
Vehicle type: Plug-in hybrid
Safety rating: 5 stars
Approximate cost after rebate: $10,500 – $12,000
Photo: Toyota USA
$15,000 – $30,000
Nissan Leaf, used, 2015-2017
Vehicle type: Battery electric
Safety rating: 4 stars
Approximate cost after rebate: $13,500 – $21,000
Note: Prices are highly variable based on battery size, battery condition and trim level – see The pros and cons of buying a Nissan Leaf in New Zealand
Nissan e-NV200, used, 2015-2016
Vehicle type: Battery electric
Safety rating: 5 stars
Approximate cost after rebate: $16,500 – $21,000
Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV, used, 2013-2015
Vehicle type: Plug-in hybrid
Safety rating: 4 stars
Approximate cost after rebate: $18,000 – $28,000
BMW i3, used, 2014-2015
Vehicle type: Battery electric
Safety rating: 5 stars
Approximate cost after rebate: $26,000 – $30,000
Note: If in the market for this model, ensure you’re looking at the battery electric version, not the ‘REx’ which is a plug-in hybrid.
$30,000 – $50,000
Toyota Prius Prime, used, 2017-2018
Vehicle type: Plug-in hybrid
Safety rating: 5 stars
Approximate cost after rebate: $30,500 – $32,000
Nissan Leaf, used, 2017-2018
Vehicle type: Battery electric
Safety rating: 5 stars
Approximate cost after rebate: $32,000 – $37,000
Note: See The pros and cons of buying a Nissan Leaf in New Zealand
BMW i3 REx, used, 2014-2016
Vehicle type: Plug-in hybrid
Safety rating: 5 stars
Approximate cost after rebate: $33,000 – $34,000
MG ZS EV, NZ new
Vehicle type: Battery electric
Safety rating: 4 stars
Approximate cost after rebate: $41,000
Toyota Prius Prime, NZ new
Vehicle type: Plug-in hybrid
Safety rating: 5 stars
Approximate cost after rebate: $44,000
Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross PHEV (base), NZ new
Vehicle type: Plug-in hybrid
Safety rating: 5 stars
Approximate cost after rebate: $44,750
MG HS Plug-in Hybrid, NZ new
Vehicle type: Plug-in hybrid
Safety Rating: 5 stars
Approximate cost after rebate: $47,250
Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV, NZ new
Vehicle type: Plug-in hybrid
Safety rating: 5 stars
Approximate cost after rebate: $47,250
Hyundai IONIQ Plug-in Hybrid Series II (entry), NZ new
Vehicle type: Plug-in hybrid
Safety rating: 5 stars
Approximate cost after rebate: $48,500
LDV eDeliver 3 (base), NZ new
Vehicle type: Battery electric
Safety rating: 5 stars
Approximate cost after rebate: $49,000
$50,000 – $80,000
Hyundai IONIQ Electric Series II (entry), NZ new
Vehicle type: Battery electric
Safety rating: 5 stars
Approximate cost after rebate: $51,500
Kia Niro PHEV SX, NZ new
Vehicle type: Plug-in hybrid
Safety rating: 5 stars
Approximate cost after rebate: $55,000
Tesla Model 3 Standard Range Plus, NZ new
Vehicle type: Battery electric
Safety rating: 5 stars
Approximate cost after rebate: $61,500
Renault Kangoo EV, NZ new
Vehicle type: Battery electric
Safety rating: 5 stars
Approximate cost after rebate: $66,500
Kia Niro EV, NZ new
Vehicle type: Battery electric
Safety rating: 5 stars
Approximate cost after rebate: $70,000
Hyundai Kona Electric Series II (entry), NZ new
Vehicle type: Battery electric
Safety rating: 5 stars
Approximate cost after rebate: $71,500
And that’s where we stop. Vehicles with a purchase price of over $80,000 aren’t eligible for a rebate, so you can enjoy paying full price if you fall into this budget category. Be sure to do your own research and calculations before making any purchasing decisions. Happy travels!