Electric Vehicle Imports Lose Charge As Volumes Drop

Imports of fully electric vehicles fell over 50 percent in value during the 12 months to June 2025, compared with the year ended June 2024, according to data released by Stats NZ.

The total value of passenger motor vehicle imports for the 12 months to June 2025 was $4.9 billion, down 23 percent ($1.4 billion) from the previous year.

"Electric vehicle imports saw the largest decline, down by $518 million," international accounts spokesperson Viki Ward said.

Values of imports of most reduced-emission propulsion vehicles saw changes:

• electric vehicle imports decreased by 57 percent, totalling $395 million
• plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) also saw a 38 percent fall, to $234 million
• hybrid electric vehicle (HEV) imports increased by 3.8 percent, reaching $1.6 billion.

The combination of all passenger internal combustion vehicles decreased 20 percent, to $4.5 billion.

"HEVs were our top imported passenger cars in the year to June 2025," Ward said.

"They have overtaken petrol cars with the 1.5-3L engine category."

Since mid-2020, the share of reduced-emission passenger vehicles (HEVs, PHEVs, and fully electric cars) has increased, rising from just 8.2 percent to 45 percent of the total passenger vehicle imports value over the 12 months leading up to June 2025.

Similarly, the number of these reduced-emission vehicles imported has increased from a share of 7.3 percent to 44 percent.

HEV values have increased from a share of 3.6 percent to 32 percent of passenger vehicle imports during the year to June 2025. HEV numbers have also increased from a share of 4.4 percent to 35 percent of passenger vehicle imports.

Imports of vehicles for the transport of goods (including trucks, vans, and utes) also decreased 17 percent in the year ended June 2025 compared with year ended June 2024, despite hybrid vehicles for transport of goods increasing 177 percent.

Electric micro-transport slowing down while pedal power keeping up

Electric micro-transport imports (e-bikes, e-mopeds, and e-scooters) decreased 23 percent to $62 million in the 12 months to June 2025, while the value of mechanical bicycles increased 14 percent to $53 million.

The number of mechanical bicycles imported remains significantly higher, with 169,814 bicycles imported during the 12 months to June 2025 compared with 42,270 electric micro-transport devices.

"Even though there are more mechanical bicycles than electric micro-transport, the import value of electric micro-vehicles is still higher," Ward said.