Over the last 18 months sales of EVs in New Zealand had flattened – although hybrids were still growing. In 2025 EV’s were 5.6 percent of new car sales vs 5.2 percent in 2024, PHEVs were 5.0 percent vs 2.7 percent and Hybrids 30.0 percent vs 27 percent (meaning ICE powered vehicles were down to 59.4 percent from 65.1 percent the previous year).
Wind forward to the current fuel crisis and April sales data has EVs at 11.1 percent, PHEVS at 11.9 percent and Hybrids at 32.2 percent with ICE dropping to 44.7 percent – a nearly 15 point drop. One suspects that the electric options might have been even higher without stock shortages, as the jump in demand has caught some manufacturers by surprise.
Likewise in the used car market, electrified vehicles are becoming as rare as the proverbial pixie dust, with pricing trending up to match supply and demand.
This has come at an opportune time for many of the newer Chinese brands, who are willing and able to supply the types of vehicles that customers want to help save fuel costs. Even when (and if!) fuel prices drop, there will be some consumer memory that will help keep electric powered vehicles up in the sales chart as reassurance against similar future price shocks.
PHEV sales had been relatively low for some time, partly as there were only a few viable alternatives in the market but this is changing quickly, with most Chinese brands offering multiple PHEV options and PHEV becoming the most commonly available electrical option for utes with a number of models available now (BYD Shark, GWM Cannon Alpha and Ford Ranger) and more incoming,  which will likely see the PHEV penetration rise even further.
Having recently purchased a used PHEV, they are ideal if you do a significant amount of around town running, which can be done almost exclusively on electric power recharged at home.