Thailand Special sales plummet 70% in NZ

[Franco Cozzo]

Our farm animal enthusiast cousins nearby us have introduced new environmental legislation targeting diesel light commercial vehicles, which has subsequently caused Thailand Specials and vans with diesel engines sales to plummet circa 70% in a month.

Now I'm fairly sure there are unleaded and or hybrid variations of these things that aren't offered in the AUS/NZ market, cause you know we traditionally buy diesel LCVs, so the manufacturers only offer diesel in this infinite feedback loop.

Now that this has happened, maybe the car manufacturers will consider bringing in their unleaded/hybrid variations of the Thailand Specials and vans which exist in other markets, rather than losing an entire market, cause you know, capitalism.

New Zealand’s ‘green car’ policy slammed as ute sales hit the brakes

Ute buyers in New Zealand have been left fuming and out of pocket after the government introduced vehicle emissions targets – and financial penalties – that are more severe than in Europe.

Under the radical scheme – which came into force last month – buyers of utes and vans are slugged an extra $NZ2500 to $NZ4500 on the purchase of a new vehicle, while buyers of low-emissions cars such as electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles instead pocket a taxpayer-funded rebate of between $NZ3450 and $NZ8625.

The strict new emissions guidelines – and price penalties – came into force in New Zealand last month and had an immediate impact on sales.

Sales of utes and vans in New Zealand plummeted by 72 per cent in April 2022 compared to the same month the prior year – the biggest slowdown on record – after new cost penalties were applied to vehicles that exceed impossibly strict emissions limits.

https://www.drive.com.au/news/new-ze...it-the-brakes/