New Zealand joins Clean Energy Ministerial electric vehicle initiative
New Zealand has joined a flagship Initiative of the Clean Energy Ministerial, the Electric Vehicle Initiative (EVI), to further accelerate the uptake of electric vehicles.
The EVI has a collective target of at least 30 per cent of new vehicle sales by 2030. EV registrations in New Zealand have grown at an exponential rate since 2013 and recently passed the 8,000 mark.
EVI members include Canada, China, Finland, France, Germany, India, Japan, Mexico, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, the UK, the US and the European Union.
Membership of the Electric Vehicle Initiative (EVI) will link New Zealand into international best practice around electric vehicles (EVs) including policy, research and information sharing, said Andrew Caseley, Chief Executive of the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority (EECA).
“Being part of this initiative puts New Zealand alongside the top electric vehicle markets in the world, demonstrating to industry our readiness to adopt new electric vehicle technologies.
“Transitioning our fossil-fuelled transport fleet to run on clean, renewable electricity is one of the most effective ways for New Zealand to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and meet our climate change commitments,” said Mr Caseley.
“Joining the EVI is yet another way we are signalling our intention to speed up New Zealand’s transition to low-carbon economy.”
EECA supports the Government’s Electric Vehicles Programme through an information campaign and a Low Emission Vehicles Contestable Fund.
What is the CEM?
The Clean Energy Ministerial is a partnership of the world’s key economies working together to advance the deployment of clean energy. Together, they account for approximately 90% of the world’s clean energy investments and 75% of global emissions. The CEM combines an annual high-level Ministerial meeting with year-round technical work through action-driven, transformative clean energy initiatives and campaigns, led by governments and supported through strong partnerships with the private sector, international organizations, and other stakeholders. To find out more, visit: www.cleanenergyministerial.org .