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Will cost scupper Government's electric car plans?

Author
Newstalk ZB,
Publish Date
Wed, 9 Jun 2021, 5:00PM
Photo / File
Photo / File

Will cost scupper Government's electric car plans?

Author
Newstalk ZB,
Publish Date
Wed, 9 Jun 2021, 5:00PM

The Motor Trade Association warns the price for an electric car could scupper the Government's plans to slash emissions.

The Climate Change Commission's final report recommends banning most non-electric car imports by 2035, to reach a carbon neutral goal by 2050.

But MTA Chief Executive Craig Pomare says the average Joe can't afford a $75,000 car.

"If we want to encourage people to change, let's put incentives on the table, let's put tax breaks on the table, let's make it easy to change rather than simply ban."

However, Mark Gilbert, chair of Drive Electric and former BMW director, says that what has been proposed is already being mandated in other right hand-drive countries. 

"It's happening in Europe, it's happening in the UK, it's happening in South Africa, where they've all picked 2030 as the year to ban fossil fuel cars."

He says that he has faith that the automobile industry is agile enough to shift their production.

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