New Zealand: Transport
E-CASH: Anybody got a good EV idea?
15 Aug 2016
The Government is offering money for projects to help to switch the nation’s fleet to electric vehicles.
China eyes California-like e-car rules
15 Aug 2016
China will consider mandates that carmakers produce more electric vehicles or purchase carbon credits from their peers, potentially emulating California’s system and transitioning from a subsidy-driven approach to catalyzing cleaner cars.
German firm runs first climate-neutral train
10 Aug 2016
A German company has run the first train in the country with a zero-carbon footprint by using an innovative environmental project in Rwanda to offset emissions.
It just got easier to find a charging station
8 Aug 2016
Power distributor Vector has launched an interactive map to help Auckland motorists to find the nearest electric vehicle charging station.
German e-car discount scheme draws a crowd
8 Aug 2016
Nearly 2000 people in Germany have applied for the government's electric car discount scheme, introduced on July 1, and a third of them are buyers of BMW models.
Climate-friendly flying could cost billions
5 Aug 2016
Sourcing biofuels to replace oil will cost billions, but without radical cuts in air traffic or improvements in technology it may be the only solution to cut airline emissions.
China reveals futuristic straddling bus
5 Aug 2016
China is testing a 2m-high bus which runs on electricity and straddles the cars below, allowing them to pass underneath uninterrupted.
UK charge points set to outnumber petrol stations
5 Aug 2016
Public electric vehicle charge points will outnumber petrol stations in the UK by the end of the decade, marking a potential tipping point in the adoption of zero emission vehicles.
Singapore eyes self-driving taxi service
4 Aug 2016
A Singapore start-up is attempting to develop the world’s first driverless taxis.
Aviation emissions pact may be voluntary at first
3 Aug 2016
A deal to limit carbon emissions from global civil aviation could be voluntary for the first five years instead of mandatory for certain countries under the current proposal.
E-car charging could follow Airbnb model
3 Aug 2016
Individuals are offer their charging stations to the public, to fill gaps in commercial recharging networks.
Vector adds more Auckland e-car chargers
2 Aug 2016
Vector has added two new electric vehicle rapid-chargers to its Auckland network.
Musk sells his solar power company ... to himself
2 Aug 2016
Elon Musk’s electric vehicle company, Tesla Motors, has bought Elon Musk’s solar power company, SolarCity, in an all-stock transaction worth $2.6 billion.
Charging pads let electric car owners cut the cord
2 Aug 2016
Electric-vehicle charging cords could soon go the way of the cassette tape, floppy disk and landline telephone.
Don't expect a solar 747 anytime soon
29 Jul 2016
After 12 years of planning and testing, Solar Impulse has finally completed its epic voyage around the world.
NZ airs views at aviation emissions talks
27 Jul 2016
New Zealand is looking to join an international plan to cut greenhouse gas emissions from aircraft.
Solar plane makes history
27 Jul 2016
Solar Impulse 2 has completed the first round-the-world flight by a solar-powered aeroplane, after touching down in Abu Dhabi.
London Mayor targets tube network
27 Jul 2016
The new Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, is in the process of securing a licence to provide “clean energy” for London tube stations.
EPA finding clears way for limit on aircraft emissions
26 Jul 2016
The Environmental Protection Agency has declared that jet engine exhaust endangers public health by contributing to climate change, a key milestone as it works to develop regulations that will cut carbon emissions from commercial aircraft.
Tesla unveils plans for new vehicle types
22 Jul 2016
Tesla Motors has outlined a new model for vehicle sharing and disclosed plans for several new electric vehicles, including much heavier trucks.
Nations urged to back airlines carbon scheme
22 Jul 2016
Governments are being urged to support a proposed United Nations carbon offset scheme to ensure airlines can tackle climate change at a global level.
Audi plans e-car push to put heat on Tesla
21 Jul 2016
Audi will aim for electric cars to account for a quarter of its sales by 2025 as part of a strategic overhaul following the emissions scandal at parent Volkswagen Group, company sources said, in a move that could step up the challenge to Tesla Motors.
Aviation industry preparing for ‘eleventh hour’ deal
14 Jul 2016
An agreement on curbing emissions from international flights will be reached at the ICAO general assembly this year, according to industry sources, while biofuels continue to struggle to emerge as a long-term solution for greening the sector.
Toyota to import used hybrids to fill market gap
13 Jul 2016
Toyota says it will import second-hand Prius plug-in hybrids to meet what it sees as a gap in the market for “reasonably priced” low-emissions vehicles.
VW emissions scandal fuels corporate doubts
11 Jul 2016
Volkswagen has told the US Department of Justice that it will be paying nearly $15 billion in an effort to settle claims made by motorists in the US following the scandal over vehicle emissions.
Road emissions rising ... at just the wrong time
8 Jul 2016
New Zealand’s transport emissions are expected to increase at the very time they need to fall to meet the country’s Paris Agreement target, a new analysis shows.
London to make dirty cars pay
7 Jul 2016
Older, dirtier cars will have to pay a £10 pollution charge to drive in central London, according to plans set out by Lord Mayor Sadiq Khan.
Paris bans old polluting cars
6 Jul 2016
Paris has banned old polluting cars from the streets as part of its efforts to combat air pollution.
BIKEBAHN: Germany building world’s biggest bicycle highway
1 Jul 2016
With the rise of popularity of e-bikes, Germany is building the world’s biggest bicycle “autobahn” of 62-miles, connecting 10 cities.
Why electric cars need to boost market share
30 Jun 2016
Electric vehicles will need to increase their combined market share to 16 per cent by 2020 to achieve the aggressive fuel economy standards set by regulators, according to new research by the World Energy Council.
Rolls-Royce sets 2020 for crewless cargo ships
28 Jun 2016
Massive crewless cargo ships plying the world's oceans may sound far-fetched, but Rolls-Royce has been working on the idea for a number of years and now says it expects the first remotely controlled vessels to be in operation by 2020.
Sweden tests world’s first electric road
27 Jun 2016
Sweden just opened a test electric road of two kilometres, which allows electric vehicles to connect to an overhead system similar to light rail.
Cars buck downward trend of EU carbon emissions
23 Jun 2016
Road transport has bucked a downward trend in European greenhouse gas emissions, growing by 17 per cent between 1990 and 2014, at the same time that emissions from other sectors fell by almost a quarter.
BMW beats Tesla to LAPD electric car contract
23 Jun 2016
German automaker BMW has beaten California-based Tesla Motors by winning a contract to supply the Los Angeles Police Department with 100 electric cars.
Energy minister is electrifying
20 Jun 2016
Transport, Energy and Associate Climate Change Minister Simon Bridges is putting his money where his mouth is – he’s buying an electric car.
Hog will be electric in five years
16 Jun 2016
Harley-Davidson says an electric model is coming within the next five years.
Nissan eyes bioethanol EV
15 Jun 2016
Nissan drivers could one day be running their car on electricity created inside the vehicle from bioethanol fuel.
Beijing records highest number of EV sales
14 Jun 2016
Beijing has recorded the highest ever number of requests for electric vehicle registration - 17,600.
CRUISE CONTROL: Lax liners ingore environment rules
10 Jun 2016
Many of the cruise ships visiting New Zealand fail to meet basic environmental standards, a new report shows.
Ontario to offer e-car rebates in $6.5b carbon plan
10 Jun 2016
Ontario will spend as much as $NZ9.1 billion through 2020 to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions, betting big on electric vehicles with rebates of as much as $15,500 a car and 500 charging stations to spur sales.
CARBON COST: Govt ignores roading impact
8 Jun 2016
The Government sought no advice on whether building major new roads would affect greenhouse gas emissions, documents show.
Airlines accused of backsliding on climate deal
7 Jun 2016
Leading air carriers have claimed they would support a new market-based scheme to curb emissions – but many remain unconvinced.
Bye-bye bike, Postman Pat will soon drive a Paxster
3 Jun 2016
New Zealand Post’s first electric vans have arrived.
VW to make big electric-car commitment
3 Jun 2016
Volkswagen is reportedly considering building its own battery factory as part of a large commitment to electric cars. The company is targeting sales of one million electric cars within 10 years.
Volvo concept trucks cut fuel by a third
3 Jun 2016
A Volvo project, which already has returned fuel cuts of 30 per cent, ultimately aims to double long-haul truck efficiency through aerodynamic and other fuel-saving features.
Road taxes will pay for trains under Green government
25 May 2016
A Green government would fund rail from taxes, with an aim of getting half of the country’s total freight off roads by 2027.
Hyundai plans 250-mile EV for 2020
25 May 2016
Carmaker Hyundai is designing an electric vehicle with a 250-mile range for 2020.
Punish the dirty drivers, urges e-car advocate
24 May 2016
The Government should fine people buying fossil fuel-burning vehicles and give the money to people who buy clean electric vehicles, says Waikato University’s professor of law.
Global EV sales will increase fivefold within five years
24 May 2016
Global electric vehicle revenue will likely reach $58 billion in 2021, representing a fivefold increase from 2015.
Supersized ship, supersized pollution problem
23 May 2016
As Harmony of the Seas sets sail from Southampton docks today she will leave behind a trail of pollution – a toxic problem that is growing as the cruise industry and its ships get ever bigger.
Pacific Islands call for fossil fuel phase-out, NZ hangs back
Thu 23 Apr 2026
By Liz Kivi | Pacific Islands nations have launched a landmark declaration for a Fossil Fuel Free Pacific, calling for a Fossil Fuel Treaty and urgent phase-out of fossil fuels, however New Zealand isn’t rushing to join the call.
Announcements expected soon on $200M gas fund
Fri 24 Apr 2026
By Pattrick Smellie | Fossil fuel companies appear likely to take up a $200 million government fund to encourage additional oil and gas exploration, dashing lobbyist Business New Zealand’s hopes that it might be repurposed to underwrite industrial electrification.
Fonterra admits ‘100% grass-fed’ claim breached law in greenwashing row
2 Apr 2026
By Shannon Morris-Williams | Fonterra has admitted its “100% New Zealand grass-fed” claims on Anchor butter were misleading and breached the law, settling a case brought by Greenpeace Aotearoa over packaging used between December 2023 and April 2025.
Climate pollution static but NZ still on track for first emissions budget, says MfE
17 Apr 2026
By Liz Kivi | New Zealand is still on track to meet its first emissions budget, according to the Ministry for the Environment, despite the pace of emissions reductions slowing to a standstill.
Wilding conifers continue to plague Southland
17 Apr 2026
By Matthew Rosenberg, Local Democracy Reporter | Fast-spreading conifer trees are causing headaches in Southland as inconsistent funding continues to hinder control efforts.
Victorian Hydrogen announces Southland urea fertiliser project using coal
Wed 22 Apr 2026
By Liz Kivi | Australian-based Victorian Hydrogen has announced it is developing a new 1.5 million-tonne-a-year urea fertiliser operation in Southland, which it will apply for under fast-track legislation.
