Torque talk

You may have heard over the airwaves or read during the run up to April of the Government’s Clean Car Rebate and Feebate, which came into effect from 1 April this year.

The New Zealand Government plans to greatly minimise our overall carbon footprint to 30 percent below 2005’s emissions statistics by 2030. This is part of its long-term goal of making New Zealand carbon-neutral by 2050.

While that goal won’t be a reality just yet, it does mean that, as of now, buyers of low or zero emission new or used vehicles will be eligible to receive a rebate.

Basically, if you buy a car and it produces less than 146g/km of C02, based on Government guidelines, you qualify.

By contrast, if you buy a vehicle considered by the Government to be a high emission vehicle, or one that produces more than 192g/km of C02, then you must pay a premium which is to be paid upon registration. However, buy a car which produces between 147g and 191g, and the price remains the same with no rebate or fee given or required.

Well, that’s the short of it. It’s no wonder some of us went car buying crazy last month.