96% of electric car owners in NZ won’t go back to petrol, says study

As petrol prices continue to rise in New Zealand, a newly released study has detailed the “overwhelming” level of consumer satisfaction amongst the country’s population of electric vehicle owners. 

A study conducted by independent product research group Consumer has found that 96% of New Zealand electric vehicle owners would buy another EV as their next car. This, according to Consumer, confirms “strong satisfaction among current owners”. 

The Consumer study polled 5791 people in November and December 2025, and covered numerous motoring-related topics, ranging from EV ownership satisfaction to questions around ownership costs. It is unclear how many of those polled own an EV.

The study’s most striking finding was that 96% of respondents that own EVs “would buy another EV”. It’s one of the most resounding findings on local EV ownership satisfaction, at a time where the local EV market continues to recover. 

By comparison, an EY Mobility Consumer Index study conducted in early 2023 found that 78% of New Zealand EV owners did not regret their purchase, and 38% were looking to buy a hybrid as their next vehicle. 

“This survey canvassed car owner experiences, providing insights into preferred engines, brand performance, reliability and overall owner satisfaction,” said Consumer NZ chief executive Jon Duffy. 

Duffy noted that although the EV market has experienced some turbulence in recent years, a “gradual but growing shift towards going electric on our roads” remains. 

On top of finding a high rate of ownership satisfaction, Consumer’s data also indicated that 81% of current EV owners “say their operating costs are much cheaper” than they were whilst owning internal combustion engine vehicles. 

A total of 7706 fully electric vehicles were registered in New Zealand last year. This represented a 12.5% increase year-on-year. Dedicated EVs represented 5.6% of the market last year. 

The plug-in hybrid market experienced even more success in 2025. Whilst less PHEVs were registered than EVs — 6885 to 7706 — this represented a considerable 49.4% year-on-year increase in PHEV registrations relative to 2024. 

Hybrids also saw strong growth in 2025, in part thanks to more popular models like the Toyota Hilux and Suzuki Swift adding more hybrid technology to their respective line-ups. A total of 41,414 hybrids were registered in 2025; a 16.1% year-on-year increase.