In its recent advice to the Government, the Climate Change Commission (CCC) has drawn a clear line in the sand when it comes to greenhouse gas emissions in Aotearoa. As a nation, our focus will be a major push towards decarbonisation, and one of the key ways we’ll do this is by reducing our country’s transport emissions.
The Government’s long-term goal is to reach net zero emissions of long-lived gases like carbon dioxide by 2050, and to reduce methane emissions by between 24-47 per cent by 2050. It’s an ambitious goal that would require Kiwis of all walks of life to adopt low emission technologies and also challenge our old behaviours, especially when it comes to transport.
In 2018, transport emissions made up a massive 36 per cent of NZ’s long-lived greenhouse gases. The majority of these transport emissions (estimated to be about 91 per cent) were generated by the use of petrol and diesel vehicles.
With this in mind, the CCC expects New Zealand would need to almost completely decarbonise all land transport in order to meet these 2050 targets, supported by increased use of public transport, walking and cycling. The task is huge, but it’s a task that as a country we’re well equipped to deal with. One of the most achievable ways of reducing our emissions is by changing how we power our cars, using our country’s largely renewable electricity system.
Each EV on the road helps keep about 2000 to 3000kg of CO2 emissions out of the air each year and the cost of charging is about the equivalent of 40c/litre. This is better for the environment, our health and our wallets.
Traditionally, one of the main arguments against EVs is that they’re (currently) more expensive to buy than your typical petrol or diesel vehicle. While upfront costs can be a barrier for some, it’s also important to consider the significantly lower running costs over the long term. And as the technology adapts and improves, upfront costs are expected to continue to fall.
With the Government’s current emissions goals and falling EV prices, we can expect to see most of NZ’s imported vehicles shifting towards electric-based power by 2035 - a big shift from current state.
There are many ways everyday Kiwis and Kiwi businesses can get on board with the Electric Revolution.
One way Mercury has been supporting Kiwis to do this is through its EV Subscription Service. This aims to make it easy for people to experience an EV without the admin and upfront cost of traditional car ownership. After launching the pilot in 2018, Mercury expanded the service through late 2020 and early 2021. Knowing that the upfront costs of purchasing an EV can prove to be a major barrier for a lot of people, the subscription model allows users to enjoy all the benefits of owning an EV with none of the hassle of standard car ownership.
Users can choose between multiple subscription lengths from one to 12 months, and the monthly subscription fee not only covers the vehicle itself, but also many of the ongoing costs associated with traditional car ownership such as insurance premiums, WoFs and regos and maintenance.
Mercury’s chief marketing officer, Julia Jack, sees the service as providing a wonderful point of entry for Kiwis into the world of EVs and delivering on Mercury’s mission of Energy Freedom.
“We’re committed to making Aotearoa stronger economically and more sustainable through better use of home-grown, renewable electricity. It’s why we’ve been champions of electric transport for many years, and the creation of our EV Subscription Service is one of the most tangible outputs of this. It breaks down many traditional barriers to EV ownership and helps Kiwis to join the Electric Revolution. It’s better for the country and better for individuals too.”
With the movement toward decarbonisation here to stay, if you’re looking for ways to contribute, signing up to Mercury’s EV Subscription Service could be a good option. And with a limited time offer of a 12-month Gen2 Nissan Leaf subscription for $499 per month, now is a good time to join Mercury’s Electric Revolution.
Find out more at: evdrive.co.nz
