IN THE NEWS: March 2026
Amid rising fuel prices, new charger funding announcements, and ongoing policy uncertainty, electric vehicles were firmly in the public spotlight in March 2026. Throughout it all, Drive Electric has been a steady, informed voice—engaging with media and government to explain what is happening, and what needs to happen next. Policy in the spotlight: The future […]
PRESS RELEASE: ENA Journey Charging Report
Drive Electric welcomes Electricity Networks Aotearoa’s (ENAs) continued engagement in electric vehicle (EV) charging. However, the EV journey charging project report released 9 March 2026, risks underestimating what is required to support EV uptake in Aotearoa New Zealand. The report focuses narrowly on passenger vehicle journey charging along state highways. While important, this represents only […]
MODEL NEWS: BYD ATTO 1
Compact. Clever. Confident. The ATTO 1 is BYD’s city-focused hatch engineered for agile urban driving and everyday practicality.
2025 Board Appointments
The board of Drive Electric, a not-for-profit with a mission to accelerate the uptake of e-mobility in Aotearoa, announced the appointment of two new board members, Anthony MacLean and Fabian Lloyd. Board Chair Kirsten Corson says, “We are delighted to welcome Anthony MacLean (BoostAuto) and Fabian Lloyd (Fonterra) to the board. The added skills sets of […]
WATCH: DRIVING THE FUTURE – CLEANER, SMARTER, GREENER
Watch for insights on successful international EV fleet implementation and the future benefits of vehicle to grid (V2G) technology.
A Fork in the Road: Will RUC Reform put our Transport System Back on the Path to an Emissions-Free Future?
The Government has announced the next steps on replacing petrol tax with electronic Road User Charges (RUCs) for all vehicles—a shift that has the potential to be transformational for Aotearoa. Drive Electric is cautiously optimistic. Currently, RUCs are paid on a per-kilometre basis by diesel vehicle and EV owners to fund road usage, while other […]
Government announces $68.5 million concessionary loan scheme for public EV chargers
On 27 April 2025, Hon Chris Bishop and Hon Simon Watts announced the Government is updating the way it co-invests in public EV chargers with the private sector to accelerate the delivery of EV chargers across Aotearoa New Zealand. Mr Watts says, “Since 2016, government investment in EV chargers has consisted of direct grants… The […]
Thoughts from the Climate Change & Business Conference 2024
Kirsten Corson reflects on the 16th Climate Change & Business Conference: Leading Climate Action.
CPO Subgroup Workstream Update – September 2024
Formed in 2023 to tackle the barriers to investment in public charging, the CPO Subgroup focusses on network connections (processes, visibility and costs) and government investment.