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Originally Posted by Rcnesneg
I would go electric and never look back. There are a lot of chinese options available in NZ also. The cheapest option for a good BEV with lots of range would probably be to import a RHD car from Japan - like a Kia Niro EV (probably would put you around $50,000 USD). The ones already in NZ are crazy expensive. Same with Australia. But gas cars are so expensive and losing value so fast it's not worth it - even in the US. Even more so in NZ.
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The most expensive car I've ever purchased, at this point, is $4,000 US. 50 grand is a pretty hard pill to swallow.
Quote:
Originally Posted by rmay635703
Still gotta wonder how you get a job and relocation to NZ?
I would look at the electric fuel and tax structures in NZ and also consider, it’s a small place, will you need to drive more or less?
If you don’t need to drive far might be worth seeing what the lowest cost home grown options are most compatible with taxes and TCO?
Maybe a Subaru 360 is a thing there, 50+ mpg room room putt putt
Maybe IMIEV, LUPO 3l or the Daihatsu Charade diesel are locally available?
Lots of Kei cars and foreign EVs are likely available as well
And yea, bespoke Miata but one has to wonder fuel and tax structures there?
Are they anti/pro EV?
Is size, displacement, fuel type a taxable item there?
Might be more to this depending on local tax code and fueling costs.
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A quick search suggests there's (in USD) up to a $5750 tax credit for new EVs, and up to $2300 for a used one. It's duty-free to import since there's no local auto industry. Highly polluting vehicles (especially diesels) will have extra taxes placed on them at the time of purchase, of up to $5750.
When it comes to registration, it's ~$70 US for a year for EVs and gasoline vehicles, and ~$120 for diesels.
Car insurance is optional. Liability-only looks to be around $10 US per month, and full coverage for a ~$20,000 US sports car runs around $50 per month. I haven't checked the rates yet on a $50,000 USD EV but I imagine it would be equivalently more expensive for full coverage.
Electricity is ~12 cents (US) per kwh, and gasoline is currently ~$8 US per gallon. At those prices, an $800 Honda Fit would break even with a $50,000 EV, driving a high estimate 12k km per year, in approximately 37 years. A $20,000 sports car would break even with the EV in approximately 23 years - or basically the "expected" lifespan of a vehicle. So, financially, an EV doesn't come close to making sense, unless I can get one in the same price range as a gasoline car. Nissan Leafs under $20,000 all seem to have very tired batteries.