What was New Zealand’s EV subsidy?

The Clean Car Discount provided financial incentives to encourage the purchase of low-emission vehicles, including electric cars, while penalising higher-emission vehicles.

Why did National scrap the EV subsidy?

National argued the policy was unfair and costly, framing it as a subsidy that disproportionately benefited wealthier buyers, although critics dispute that claim.

Did the EV subsidy work?

Supporters argue the subsidy increased EV uptake and helped create a second-hand market, making electric vehicles more accessible over time.

How do oil prices affect the EV debate?

Rising oil prices increase the cost of petrol, making EVs more financially attractive and intensifying debate over the removal of EV incentives.

Why National’s EV spin is unravelling as oil prices spike

ByMartyn Bradbury 18 March 202618 March 2026

As oil prices rise globally, National’s decision to scrap EV incentives is back under scrutiny — with critics accusing the Government and Simeon Brown of misrepresenting the policy to win a culture war rather than a climate argument.

National’s EV policy under pressure as oil prices rise

National are scrambling to justify the Government’s attack on EVs as oil spikes.

Did the EV subsidy actually work?

The reality is that the subsidy worked and helped more people buy electric cars while creating a second-hard market.

– Advertisement –

How EV policy became a culture war

National attacked it because they made it a Ute Tax culture war issue where their masculinity was attached to petrol engines.

Claims vs reality: Simeon Brown and the EV narrative

The lies National and Simeon Brown have spun to justify scrapping the subsidy are absurd…

Credit: Simeon Brown (@SimeonBrownMP on X)

…cough.

Bullshit.

Credit: Mountain_Tui (@Moutain_Tui on X)

Was the EV subsidy really for the wealthy?

…National, ACT and NZF sold EVs as a subsidy for the rich for woke wankers spending money on expensive cars when the subsidy never allowed for that.

It’s more important for the Right to lie to you and misrepresent policy as woke overreach than be honest.

The problem with turning policy into culture war is that reality doesn’t care about the narrative. As oil prices climb, the cost of abandoning EV incentives won’t be ideological — it will be economic, and it will be felt by the very voters this spin was designed to win over.