The National Party is returning to a controversial proposal to allow electric vehicles to drive in bus and high occupancy lanes in order to encourage uptake.

The scheme, which would be brought in immediately on State Highways, is included in National's plan to get 80,000 EVs on New Zealand roads by 2023 - four times the current levels.

National says it will hit this target by exempting EVs from fringe benefit tax until 2025 to encourage fleet uptake, exempting them from road user charges until at least 2023 and by setting a three-year target of having a third of government light vehicle fleets be electric.

In 2016 when National was in government, it passed legislation which set the framework for EVs to use bus lanes but left it up to local governments to adopt it.

Then Transport Minister Simon Bridges didn't consult with councils about the plan and ignored officials advice they would likely be uninterested because it would slow down public transport.

Auckland Transport then voted against allowing EVs in bus lanes, in favour of supporting a trial of allowing them in T2 and T3 lanes.

A year-long trial later found the scheme didn't encourage people to buy electric cars with owners instead citing environmental concerns, lower running costs and the perception of being an early adopter as being stronger motivators.