Groups press Luxon and Hipkins to back EV leasing scheme

Rewiring Aotearoa and Drive Electric have launched an advertising campaign urging National leader Christopher Luxon or Labour leader Chris Hipkins to back a scheme that would help workers lease electric vehicles (EVs).

The proposal, called the "EV Salary Boost", would let employees lease a new or used EV for three to five years. The payments would be deducted from pay before tax is taken out.

Rewiring Aotearoa chief executive Mike Casey put the taxpayer cost of the proposal at $5,000 per car. He said participating workers would save an average of $36 a week compared with a standard car loan. RNZ

Drive Electric board chair Kirsten Corson said the scheme would increase the supply of second-hand EVs.

The two groups first pitched the scheme to all parties in Parliament. They then directed their adverts at Luxon and Hipkins. The effort, known as "Either Chris", has been described as a "Hail Mary" ad campaign.

Neither National nor Labour directly said whether it would support the leasing proposal.

National pointed to its target of 10,000 public EV charging points by 2030 and to funding for cleaner heavy vehicles. Labour cited its manifesto commitments, meaning the policies in its election platform, to strengthen clean car emissions standards and expand the EV charging network.

During the leaders' debates, Luxon said the fuel crisis was already driving more motorists towards electric vehicles. RNZ