Reducing transport emissions is crucial to meeting New Zealand’s climate targets and is one of the initial priority areas of the Carbon Neutral Government Programme (CNGP).
Mandated agencies should optimise their fleet to reduce the number of vehicles, and choose a battery electric vehicle (BEV), or plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) wherever possible, when replacing vehicles in their light vehicle fleets.
To help agencies achieve the Government’s goals for reduced fleet emissions through optimisation and transition to electric vehicles (EVs), you are required to prepare a fleet optimisation and transition plan.
You should update your fleet optimisation and transition plan annually so we can provide progress reports to CNGP Ministers, and to ensure your agency has a robust plan and clear pathway to a successful transition. Your updated plan should include changes to your agency’s requirements and other considerations that may impact your plans.
All plans should provide information outlining your agency’s intentions for its fleet, including:
You do not need to provide a cost to transition unless it is considered a major barrier. In which case, explain with a cost analysis by financial year, and a plan to overcome or address this issue.
In the data collection form, indicate the projected size of your vehicle fleet by quarter. Include:
If your fleet consists of or includes leased vehicles, please provide information on leased vehicles separately as indicated in the form.
Please email your fleet optimisation and transition plan and data collection form to the New Zealand Government Procurement Policy team.
The following resources are also available to assist you with your plan:
If you require further assistance or advice, please email the Motor vehicles team or the NZGP Policy team.
Any application for an exemption must be accompanied by a well-tested justification and should undergo an approval process from your chief executive.
Cost should not be considered grounds for exemption unless an agency can demonstrate that the total cost of owning or leasing an electric vehicle (EV) is greater than a petrol or diesel vehicle and that it would impact the agency’s ability to undertake its core functions.
You must get approval from your chief executive for an exemption to buy or lease a petrol or diesel vehicle from the AoG motor vehicles panel, instead of a BEV or PHEV in accordance with the electric vehicles first policy.
Chief executives should apply the reasoning set out below when making their decision whether to approve an exemption from the electric vehicles first policy.
The sign off from your chief executive must present, at a minimum:
Exemptions to the electric vehicles first policy will be rare and likely to be limited to situations where vehicles are subject to unusual or very specific operations and after considering all EV options.
Granting an exemption is limited to the purchase or lease of specific vehicles on specific occasions. Over time, EV technology and vehicle choice are expected to improve further, so that the need for exemptions will diminish.
Examples may be emergency response vehicles where the appropriateness of an EV has been trialled and/or analysed and results clearly indicate that an EV would not be sufficient.
When it has been determined that an exemption to buy or lease a petrol or diesel vehicle is justified, the emissions for that vehicle should be at least 20% below the emissions profile of the vehicle it is replacing.
Thank you for your commitment to achieving the aims of the Carbon Neutral Government Programme.