New Zealand to exempt electric cars from road-user charges

New Zealand’s Parliament has enacted a law exempting electric cars from paying road user fees for four years. Transport Minister Steven Joyce said the statutory law is aimed at promoting the use of alternative fuels. The exemption covers light electric vehicles, weighing up to 3.5 tons, which are classed as diesel for the purpose of road-user charges. The exemption will be effective from October 1 this year until 2013. (August 6, 2009)