EV sales continue surge

Year-to-date light BEV registrations have more than doubled from a year ago while demand for petrol cars has fallen.

Posted on 31 March, 2026

Dealers sold some 1,540 battery EVs (BEVs) and plug-in hybrids (PHEVs) last week as consumer demand for light vehicles with those powertrains has more than quadrupled this month.

There were 347 registrations for new and NZ-new light BEVs and PHEVs in the week ending March 8, according to Ministry of Transport statistics.

That number increased to 549 the following week and 1,033 for the seven days ending March 22, with more motorists turning their attention to low and zero-emissions vehicles as fuel prices rise while conflict in the Middle East continues.

For the week ending March 29, the total went higher and came in at 1,540, which was made up of 1,100 BEVs and 440 PHEVs, reports the NZ Herald.

It means year-to-date sales of new BEVs have reached 4,203 units, more than double the number over the same timeframe last year when the total was 2,092. However, it was shy of the 5,129 sold in 2023.

As for PHEVs, 2,639 have been registered so far this year to eclipse the period’s previous record of 1,819 set in 2023.

In contrast, year-to-date petrol sales stand at 3,850 units, down from 4,660 a year ago and 6,083 in 2024, which was the highest tally of the past six years.