Motor vehicles

This section provides the latest statistics on vehicle numbers and the average age of vehicles in Aotearoa New Zealand.

The use of motor vehicles can impact human health through air pollution, crashes and accidents, climate change as well as through noise. In particular, motor vehicle emissions produced through the combustion of petrol and diesel affect outdoor air quality and human health [1].

Diesel-powered vehicles and vehicles that are older or poorly maintained tend to produce more emissions. Recent evidence also shows that diesel engine fumes can cause lung cancer [2].

Electric vehicle uptake stalled in 2024

The electric vehicle (EV) fleet in New Zealand consists almost entirely of light passenger vehicles. After several years of strong growth, the uptake of EVs stalled following the closure of the Clean Car Discount scheme in December 2023. In 2024, there were 113,715 electric vehicles, compared to 103,665 in 2023 (Figure 1).

Figure 1: Number of light electric vehicles, 2013–2024

New Zealand's fleet is old by international standards

The average age of a country's vehicle fleet is an indicator of the efficiency of vehicles on the road. Older cars tend to be less fuel-efficient and produce more emissions. The New Zealand light vehicle fleet has consistently been around 2–4 years older on average than its counterparts in the United States, Australia, Canada and the United Kingdom (Figure 2).

Figure 2: Average age (in years) of vehicle fleets, international comparison, 2005–2024

About the data

Source: Ministry of Transport – The New Zealand Vehicle Fleet Annual Statistics

(See reference list for additional data sources used for international comparisons)

Definitions: Six categories of vehicles are used in the New Zealand vehicle fleet:

• light passenger vehicles (passenger cars and vans)
• light commercial vehicles (which includes the following if under 3,500 kg: goods vans, trucks, utilities, buses and motor caravans)
• trucks (including the following if over 3,500 kg: goods vans, trucks, utilities and motor caravans)
• buses (only those over 3,500 kg, with lighter examples classed as 'light commercial vehicles')
• motorcycles (including mopeds)
• electric vehicles (including pure electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles).