Vehicle Emissions

The government has announced its decision to develop and introduce a range of measures to reduce the growing harmful health and environmental impacts of vehicle emissions in New Zealand. These measures will focus on three areas: new entrants to the vehicle fleet, the in-service vehicle fleet, and the end-of-life vehicle fleet, and will come into force progressively.

Tip sheets

• Tips to reduce your vehicle's emissions (PDF v7.0, 15 KB)
• Tips for running your diesel (PDF v7.0, 15KB)
• Tips for better fuel economy (PDF v7.0, 16 KB)

Emissions Rule 2007

• Vehicle Exhaust Emissions Rule 2007
• Questions and Answers about the Rule
• Further information about the Rule

Aging of New Zealand's light vehicle fleet

Policy Documents - Harmful emissions

• November 2006 Cabinet Paper: Reducing Harmful Emissions From Vehicles Entering The New Zealand Fleet (November 2006)
• Results of testing emissions of Japanese used vehicles
• New Zealand Vehicle Emissions Screening Programme Discussion Document (November 2004) (PDF v7.0, 164KB)
• Summary of Submissions on the New Zealand Vehicle Emissions Screening Programme Discussion Document (April 2005) (PDF v7.0, 88KB)
• New Zealand Vehicle Emissions Screening Programme Resource Document (November 2004) (PDF v7.0, 98KB)
• Vehicle Emissions Pilot Project (2006): Reports on in-service emission testing of petrol and diesel vehicles
• 2005 Vehicle Emissions Cabinet Paper (PDF v7.0, 98Kb)In December 2005 Cabinet agreed to a series of actions that the Ministry is to investigate, to reduce emissions from vehicles. This is the paper setting out those actions.
• 2006 Vehicle Emissions Cabinet Paper (PDF v7.0, 85kb)
• Vehicle" Emissions Regulatory Impact Statement (RIS) and Business Compliance Cost Statement (BCCS)

Policy Documents - Vehicle Fuel Economy Standard

• August 2009 Vehicle Fuel Economy Standard Cabinet Paper (PDF v7.0, 82.8kb): In August 2009, the Minister of Transport announced the government’s decision not to progress with work on a regulated Vehicle Fuel Economy Standard. Read the Minister’s announcement on the beehive website. The Cabinet Paper and the associated Cabinet minute (PDF v7.0, 548kb) set out the reasons for not proceeding with a regulated mandatory fuel economy standard.

Health and Social Impacts

• Update and Extension of Vehicle Emissions Modelling (PDF v7.0, 406kb)
• Socio-Economic" Impacts of Emissions Standards on Used Imported Vehicles Final Report November 2006 (PDF v7.0 618kb)
• The Health and Air Pollution in New Zealand: Christchurch Pilot study (September 2005)
• Health Effects of Vehicle Emissions(January 2002)
• Social and Economic Impact Assessment Phase One Report February 2005 (PDF v7.0, 888kb)
• Social" and Economic Impact Assessment Focus Groups Report March 2005 (PDF v7.0, 201kb)

Vehicle scrappage trial

Read about the Ministry's 2007 and 2009 vehicle scrappage trials.

For more information see:

• Climate Change and Energy
• Energy Efficiency Conservation Authority (EECA)
• Ministry for the Environment