Aotearoa / New Zealand @lemmy.nz evanuggetpi @lemmy.nz 1 yr. ago

New Zealanders stuck in a 'car dependency cycle' as fuel likely to rise to record-breaking prices

www.stuff.co.nz New Zealanders stuck in a 'car dependency cycle' as fuel likely to rise to record-breaking prices

Fuel prices are expected to continue to rise to record-breaking prices – but many New Zealanders are stuck forking out more than $3 a litre.

18 comments

And National is removing the subsidy that was making EVs cheaper, so buy now before the election.
- We're not far from the point where they are more cost effective even without subsidies, fortunately.
  
  the worst threat to democracy and civilization are people who are deeply ignorant spewing bullshit as if was the truth and others believing this bullshit.
  
  Apparently you haven't looked at the price difference between an electric version of a vehicle and a petrol or even a hybrid version of the same vehicle so you believe the electric car is same cost or cheaper.
- Not going to be voting National - I'd prefer a chronically underfunded public healthcare system to a US-style insurance driven private system - but:
  
  The EV RUC exemption was supposed to be removed when the fleet reached 2% EVs - it did that ~6 months ago, but the government decided not to cos it's a bad look to do just before the election
  
  The RUC charges are what pays for road maintenance along side fuel taxes - the exemption has to go away at some point
  
  I think they're talking about the discount on the purchase price of EVs.
  
  Just a follow on from your health comment.
  
  If our health system is certain to become private, I for sure hope that:
  
  ACC remains, at minimum as-is.
  
  there is a regulation and standardisation for basic health insurance needs (more like the Swiss system than US free for all).
  
  there is still some sort of safety net system for those who cannot afford it.
  
  Of course, I'd prefer a public health system.
  
  National want to go to a RUCs for everyone system, which I think is the best way to handle vehicles that have multiple fuel sources such as plug in hybrids.
  
  I read that by 1 April next year it was expected to reach 1.7% but National decided that was close enough. Where do I find the figure about it already being 2%?
  
  Edit: Oh, it's counting plug-in hybrid. Currently about 1.4% BEV and 0.6% PHEV. Not quite 2% yet, it's at 1.96% as at August 2023.
  
  Im curious why it was 2% as this was likely anyway.
  
  15-20% would provide enough density for ongoing resell markets, maintenance, "fueling" stations and carbon reduction.
A lot of places are stuck on car dependency, it's awful.
- Not in Europe, wow. I just came back from a trip and you literally can go everywhere on public transport, including to the tiniest weirdest towns you can think of.
  
  It's a dream, and I wish we had something like that 😢
  
  Europe also has something like 40× our pop density by land mass, and they can.
Why do all the options for electric vans kinda suck right now? My boss is looking for a replacement for my van, there are the LDV vehicles, and given what an absolute turd the LDV van I had was, we won't be going that route. Besides, the options are either far too big or far too small.

Next is the Transit. The smallest version of the Transit would be ideal for someone who works in the Wellington CBD, but they only make the larger sizes as an EV.

Finally, there is the E-vito. Just the right size, although neither the battery nor the motor are big enough, and it's $90k.

Why?
- How much is the petrol or diesel version of the vito?

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