There’s a wide variety of opinions about how a new rule that could allow used import Nissan Leafs into Australia will affect the New Zealand market.
Under the Specialist and Enthusiast Vehicles scheme, used Nissan Leafs manufactured between 2013 and 2017 could be imported into Australia from countries such as Japan.
That’s because the vehicles haven’t been sold new in Australia between 2013-2017, although the latest Leaf is scheduled to be available across the ditch later this year.
EV City owner Dave Boot says he doesn’t expect used import Leafs would be that popular in Australia for several reasons.
“They don’t think of themselves as a green country. They don’t have renewable energy. In New Zealand it’s all hydro,” the Christchurch dealer says.
“They’re three or four years behind us in infrastructure.
“It’s also all about the new market over there. They’ve never had a strong second-hand or used import market.”
Range would also be an issue for people using some of the older 24kWh Leafs in the big cities, Boot says.
“If you lived in Sydney and wanted to go across the bridge and back every day, a 2012 to 2014 Leaf is not going to do it for you.
“I don’t think the Aussie EV market is going to explode as quickly as ours has. If in Australia, they’re suddenly allowed to bring them in, I don’t think it would put much pressure on at all.”
Boot says he hasn’t had any problems getting Nissan Leafs in recent months, but the Nissan ENV200s vans are hard to come by.
Genuine Vehicle Imports (GVI) general manager Hayden Johnston says EVs will likely become more popular in Australia over time.
“Like we have seen here in New Zealand, and are still going through, there will need to be a campaign of education and awareness to encourage the uptake of electric vehicles in Australia.
“New Zealand suits electric vehicles in so many different ways that Australia doesn’t.”
These include renewable and sustainable power generation and smaller geographic size with less distance between major population centres.
“New Zealand also has a strong import culture, with less resistance to second hand and parallel imported vehicles,” he says.
Supply and demand will always dictate pricing no matter what the circumstances, but it’s hard to tell if the Aussie situation could make a difference, Johnston says.
“There is good supply of the 2013-2017 Leafs out of Japan and the UK, so we will have to wait and see what the Australian appetite for EVs is like.
“We are already seeing the prices of EVs firming due to increased demand from New Zealand and a falling New Zealand dollar, so chances are further pressure will see further increases locally.”
Johnson says his focus currently is expanding GVI’s local footprint rather than moving into Australia, with a Wellington-based specialist EV dealership and other sites opening soon.
Imported Motor Vehicle Industry Association (VIA) chief executive David Vinsen says demand for EVs increases when special schemes are approved.“That demand also pushes up prices.
”Prices jumped when Sri Lanka took a liking to used import electric vehicles a few years ago, Vinsen says.“Depending on the volume of used EVs coming through, some might land in Australia. It’s a simple case of supply and demand.”
