New Zealand Narrows ICE Vehicle Import Gap

New Zealand’s imports of low-emission motor vehicles rose sharply in the year to June 2026, narrowing the gap with internal combustion engine vehicle imports, according to official data released on Monday. Imports of low-emission vehicles, which include pure electric, hybrid, and plug-in hybrid vehicles, increased 33 percent to NZ$2.9 billion (approximately US$1.7 billion). Meanwhile, imports of ICE vehicles, which use diesel or petrol, rose 16 percent to NZ$3.1 billion, Stats NZ said in a statement. “Low-emission motor vehicles accounted for 48 percent of the total value of all passenger vehicle imports in the year to June 2026,” said Stats NZ international accounts spokesperson Shanna Dilworth. According to the statistics department, the total value of passenger vehicle imports reached NZ$6.1 billion in the year to June 2026, an increase of 23 percent from the previous year. The value gap between the two categories has narrowed over time, with ICE vehicle imports exceeding low-emission vehicles by NZ$202 million in the year to June 2026, compared to a gap of NZ$4.5 billion in the year ended June 2019. Dilworth said hybrid electric vehicles continued to dominate, with their import value rising 7.9 percent to nearly NZ$1.7 billion and accounting for almost a third of total passenger vehicle imports. Statistical data showed that imports of electric vehicles more than doubled, rising 105 percent to NZ$810 million, while imports of plug-in hybrid vehicles surged 76 percent to NZ$413 million. Stats NZ noted that Japan was the largest source of low-emission vehicles imported by New Zealand with a 44 percent share, followed by China at 30 percent and South Korea at 8.6 percent. Stats NZ added that China supplied 73 percent of pure electric vehicles, while Japan was the main supplier of hybrid vehicles.