While some in the car sales industry have cast doom and gloom on the government’s decision to implement road-user charges on electric vehicles and plug-in hybrids, two major Dunedin dealers say it is a storm in a teacup.
Earlier this week, the government announced EVs and plug-in hybrid vehicles would no longer be exempt from road-user charges, as of April 1.
Owners of light EVs will now have to pay $76 per 1000km, to match equivalent diesel-powered vehicles; and plug-in hybrid owners will pay a reduced rate of $53 per 1000km so they are not double taxed by the fuel excise duty.
