If you think New Zealand is just about epic landscapes, hearty haka, and hobbits, think again. There’s a new quest afoot—and this time, it’s taking place not in Middle-Earth, but in garages, farms, and factories across Aotearoa. The dragon? Over ten million fossil fuel-powered machines; the magic weapon? Plain old electrons.
A new report from Rewiring Aotearoa, with support from Ara Ake and EECA, has outed the country’s mechanical secrets: a staggering 84% of fossil fuel machines in New Zealand could be replaced by electric options available today, right off the shelf, with no unicorns required1. From toasters to tractors, cars to lawnmowers, the machines that quietly (sometimes noisily) keep Kiwi life humming could go electric, slicing off 7.5 million tonnes of annual carbon emissions—roughly the energy equivalent of flying every Aucklander to London and back, once a year, and then some.
And there’s more: swapping out the six million most “electrifiable” machines (think cars, heaters, bikes, ovens) would collectively save New Zealanders $3.7 billion a year, or about $8 million a day. Yes, that really is enough dollar-coins to rival a Hobbit’s hoard.
But before you rush out to trade in your petrol mower for a humming electric wonder, know this: not every fossil-burning behemoth can simply retire. About 10%—one million stocky trucks, utes, buses, and mini-tractors—need just a little more market muscle to electrify. The gnarly 6% left? Those are the heavy-industry machines: they’ll demand more technical wizardry and, probably, the kind of R&D that puts the “eek!” in “geek”.
Economically, it’s a slam dunk. New Zealand pays some of the highest fossil fuel prices in the world, so running your life on “locally-made electrons” is a no-brainer, according to Rewiring Aotearoa’s CEO, Mike Casey. “Climate change is largely an energy problem. Around 75% of the world’s emissions come from energy and machines use that energy, so solving the problem in practice is about replacing those machines,” he says. For proof, Casey points to his cherry orchard, now running diesel-free, saving tens of thousands a year and nearly eliminating emissions. “We figured out how to electrify our cherry orchard near Cromwell… We save tens of thousands on our energy bills each year, we’ve brought our emissions down to almost nothing, and we play a positive role in the energy system”.
Electrification also unlocks surprising Kiwi ingenuity. Turns out, you can even shove a Nissan Leaf motor and battery into a 1990 Hilux for a DIY EV with real attitude. Because in New Zealand, car culture meets “MacGyver”.
However, turning this technical possibility into everyday reality needs more than clever tinkering. The upfront cost of electric machines can still be a barrier. For busy parents, renters, and retirees—not just die-hard energy nerds—transitioning needs to be simple and affordable. Innovative finance, government support, and streamlined upgrade paths will shift the transition “from possible to practical”.
There’s also a crucial timing factor: 36% of New Zealand’s “non-green” household appliances are more than a decade old, and with cars averaging a ripe 14 years, the fleet is primed for replacement. The next purchasing cycle will define New Zealand’s energy future—and the smarter, cleaner, and more cost-effective move is clearly electric.
So, what’s next for the land of the long white cloud? New Zealand could become a global model, showing that climate action doesn’t just cost less, but can actually save money, supercharge innovation, and export solutions to the world. The tools? Free machine count databases, public/private collaboration, and investment cycles that reward forward-thinking.
The bottom line: If the world’s energy problem is a jigsaw, New Zealand just found itself holding most of the missing pieces—and has decided it’s high time to plug them in.
