Reduced-emission Vehicle Annual Imports Up In June 2026

The total value of passenger motor vehicle imports was $6.1 billion for the 12 months to June 2026, up 23 percent ($1.1 billion) from the previous year, according to data released by Stats NZ today.

Over the year, the value of:

• reduced-emission motor vehicle imports (including fully electric vehicles, hybrids, and plug-in hybrids) increased by 33 percent, to $2.9 billion
• internal combustion vehicle imports (including vehicles powered by diesel or petrol) increased by 16 percent, to $3.1 billion.

While the value of internal combustion vehicles imported remained higher than that of reduced-emission vehicles, the difference has narrowed over time. In the year ended June 2026, imports of internal combustion vehicles were valued $202 million more than imports of reduced-emission vehicles, compared with $4.5 billion more in the year ended June 2019.

"Reduced-emission motor vehicles accounted for 48 percent of the total value of all passenger vehicles imported in the year ended June 2026," international accounts spokesperson Shanna Dilworth said.

Hybrid vehicles almost one-third of all passenger vehicle imports

The value of imports of all reduced-emission passenger vehicles increased over the year ended June 2026.

• Hybrid electric vehicle (HEV) imports increased by 7.9 percent, to $1,698 million.
• Electric vehicle imports increased by 105 percent, to $810 million.
• Plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) imports increased by 76 percent, to $413 million.

"Nearly one in three passenger vehicle imports were hybrid electric vehicles in the year ended June 2026," Dilworth said.

Hybrid electric vehicles accounted for 58 percent of the total value of reduced-emission vehicles imported in the year ended June 2026.

Almost half of reduced-emission vehicles were imported from Japan

The top three countries by share of reduced-emission vehicle imports in the 12 months to June 2026, were:

• Japan, at 44 percent of imports ($1,279 million)
• China, at 30 percent of imports ($877 million)
• South Korea, at 8.6 percent of imports ($251 million).

China was the main provider of fully electric vehicles, supplying 73 percent of imports in the year ended June 2026. However, most hybrid electric vehicles were imported from Japan (63 percent).