Invercargill MP Penny Simmonds says her phone at her office has been running hot, as Southlanders react to the Government's electric vehicle subsidy. 

From next month, people buying electric vehicles or plug-in hybrids will be eligible for up to $8,600 of rebate.

But to fund the rebates, fees on petrol and diesel vehicles will increase by up to $5875 from January. 

The increase depends on emissions, but the farmers' favourite Toyota Hilux could, for example, cost $3000 more to buy.

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National Party MP Simmonds says: “Farmers, builders, contractors, and those on low incomes have all expressed their shock and anger at this latest move.

"The level of concern from local people around this issue has been massive. It has clearly hit a nerve.

“One woman says she needs a specific type of heavy vehicle to tow a horse float - something most electric vehicles would be unsuitable for. 

“An Otautau farmer has told me he has no choice but to run a 4-wheel drive vehicle on his farm and would now incur a tax on any future vehicles. 

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“Another Invercargill woman said she was saving for a car to get her kids to school, but simply could not afford an electric vehicle and was worried about the extra costs she could face. " 

Simmonds says Labour’s car tax policy will unfairly hurt local farmers, tradespeople and low-income earners for whom low-emission vehicles will still be too expensive or unsuitable for their lifestyle.

“Now if Southlanders need a specific type of vehicle for work, family reasons, or because of where they live - they will pay the price.

“I’m disappointed at this punitive new tax, which once again hits Southlanders in the back pocket.”

Toyota NZ chief executive Neeraj Lala told RNZ's Checkpoint the company does not have a full battery ute in its plans for the next 12 to 24 months.

Ford is making an fully electric version of its best-selling F150 work truck. The Ford F-150 Lightning's base model starts at NZ$55,570, with a 370km range carrying 450kg of cargo, while a more expensive model has a 482km range.

Ford F-150 Lightning

Its attraction to farmers and tradies will be that it's effectively a mobile generator, powering tools and even a house for three days in event of a blackout, but it's hardly your typical farm ute.

Production begins in the US next year, but Ford has not said if and when it will be available in NZ.

Simmond's also calling on Associate Environment Minister James Shaw to apologise and take back his "divisive" comments about Southern farmers, made in a recent radio interview about the establishment of Significant Natural Areas. 

Shaw said there is "a group of Pakeha farmers from down south who have always pushed back against the idea that they should observe any kind of regulation about what they can do to protect the environmental conditions on their land . . ."

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"Mr Shaw’s remarks are divisive and downright inaccurate. He should apologise," Simmonds says.

"Southern farmers have undertaken some amazing work around conservation - fencing off waterways, undertaking native planting and establishing covenants and agreements with the Queen Elizabeth II National Trust, to protect areas of significance in this region.

“Not to mention Southland’s 23 farmer-driven Community Catchment Groups, which form a network covering 85 per cent of the Southland region, getting environmental projects off the ground and inspiring community action and education, to protect our land, water and air.

"These Southlanders - Pakeha and Māori - have devoted hundreds of hours voluntarily to protect our precious environment and to have a Minister of the Crown insult them and their work in this way will cause irreparable damage.

"The Government appears to be trying to incite racial disharmony and Mr Shaw’s comments do nothing to advance either good relations, or positive environmental change in the South."