Ia Ara Aotearoa Transporting New Zealand has welcomed the launch of the government’s Low Emissions Heavy Vehicle Fund, but says additional policy changes and investment are required to support freight decarbonisation. https://www.nztrucking.co.nz/govts-low-emissions-heavy-vehicle-fund-a-game-changer-industry/

Interim CEO Dom Kalasih said the fund will help Transporting New Zealand’s members get zero and low carbon trucks on the road, reducing transport emissions.

“The road freight sector is committed to decarbonisation, including adopting low and zero emission vehicles. However, the high purchase cost and limited range and freight capacity of many available models is a big barrier to uptake,” he said.

“In a low margin industry like ours, practical support from the Government is essential.”

Transporting New Zealand is also calling for the Government to prioritise three actions to support decarbonisation in the road freight sector:

– introduce accelerated depreciation for low and zero emission vehicles (including higher productivity motor vehicles);

– reform the vehicle dimension and mass rules to allow more battery weight on front axles; and

– strengthen roads surfaces and bridges to allow heavier, more efficient, electric vehicles and high productivity motor vehicles to access more of the roading network.

“Co-funding vehicle purchases is an important piece of the puzzle, but getting our regulatory settings and roading network ready for more efficient vehicles is also essential to increasing uptake and driving down emissions.”

Transporting New Zealand is currently working with several other transport associations and NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi to propose practical amendments to the Land Transport Rules that will improve freight efficiency.