Objectives

The Low Emissions Heavy Vehicle Fund (LEHVF) aims to increase the number of zero and low-emissions heavy vehicles on New Zealand’s roads, and provide market signals to manufacturers to encourage supply.

Eligibility

  • All New Zealand-based and New Zealand-registered legal entities, including State-owned enterprises, local councils and regional councils.
  • Public service departments, non-public service departments (such as the New Zealand Defence Force) and statutory Crown entities are NOT eligible.
  • Only the vehicles, suppliers and converters listed on this webpage are approved for funding.

How the fund works

Heavy vehicles make up less than 5% of New Zealand's vehicle fleet, but account for roughly a quarter of road transport emissions. High upfront costs and the unknown total cost of ownership are the main barriers to the private sector's uptake of zero and low-emissions heavy vehicles.

The LEHVF aims to offset these barriers by providing grants of up to 25% of the purchase price of a new low or zero-emissions heavy vehicle, or 25% of the cost to convert an existing ICE heavy vehicle to be powered by approved low-emissions technologies.

If you want to buy or convert a heavy vehicle

Contact suppliers or converters on the ‘approved’ list below. All eligible buyers can receive grants for approved vehicles from suppliers on this list. Applications for proposed conversions will be reviewed and approved by EECA on a case-by-case basis.

Contact a supplier to access a grant

If you want to supply or convert vehicles

You must apply to register for the LEHVF approved list.

Information for suppliers and converters

LEHVF Update 2026

A review of the LEHVF took place in March 2026 to assess how it was performing against its objectives. 

As a result of this review, a clarification has been made to the criteria and rules of the fund. 

This is listed below in full – no other material changes have been made to this ITR. This change applies to Applicants from 1 May 2026. 

  • Funding caps for eligible vehicles for the year 1 July 2026 to 30 June 2027, per Supplier and Customer, are the same as for the year ending 30 June 2026. 
  • For the situation where Supplier and Customer (buyer) are the same party: 
    • the Customer funding cap applies to the Supplier/buyer 
    • the vehicle still must meet the LEHVF vehicle criteria 
    • Motor Vehicle Trader registration is not required for the Supplier/buyer. 

Note: LEHVF Suppliers and vehicles approved before 1 July 2026 remain approved.

LEHVF grants pay for:

  • up to 25% of the purchase price (retail) of new zero-emissions vehicles (battery electric, hydrogen fuel cell electric)
  • up to 25% of the conversion cost of existing ICE vehicles, to be converted to a zero-emissions vehicle (battery electric, hydrogen fuel cell electric)
  • up to 25% of the conversion cost of existing ICE vehicles to run on low-emissions technologies (hydrogen-diesel dual fuel, plug-in diesel-electric hybrid)
  • up to 25% of the purchase price (retail) of new low-emission vehicles (plug-in diesel-electric hybrid, hydrogen-diesel dual fuel).

Other eligibility criteria

Grants

  • Vehicle operators wishing to purchase a LEHVF-funded vehicle must choose a model from the approved list.
  • Grants remain capped at $4 million per vehicle importer/supplier and $1 million per vehicle operator (ex. GST).
  • There are also capped maximums on funding for each vehicle category, depending on gross vehicle mass (GVM) and vehicle class. These categories are based on licensing and energy usage. 

Vehicles

  • All vehicles must have a GVM of 5.9 tonnes or more. (EECA will use manufacturer-provided GCM.)
  • Grants apply to the cost of the cab chassis only, excluding bodywork.
  • Existing ICE vehicles to be converted to low or zero-emissions technologies must have been registered in New Zealand for the first time within 5 years of applying for inclusion on LEHVF 'approved' list, whether they have had a single owner or multiple owners.
  • Public transport buses are excluded, but other buses and coaches meeting weight requirements are eligible.

Contact a supplier or converter to access a grant

The vehicles, suppliers and converters below have been approved for LEHVF grants. Suppliers and converters on this list will manage the purchase process. The vehicle operator pays the supplier or converter for the vehicle or its conversion, less the grant amount.

Buyers must conduct their own due diligence on listed vehicles, suppliers and converters.

Approved heavy vehicles and suppliers

Information for suppliers and converters

EECA will accept applications from suppliers and converters to be approved for the LEHVF until funding is exhausted. 

You must become an approved supplier or converter before you can get vehicles added to the 'approved' list.

Apply to be an approved supplier or converter

Read the Invitation to Register (ITR) document and Supplier Agreement, then complete the ITR response form. 

Invitation to Register [PDF 519 KB]

Supplier Agreement  [PDF 603 KB]

LEHVF: ITR Response Form

Contact

Importers, suppliers, converters and OEMs can submit questions using the form below. 

If you have questions about vehicles on the approved list or conversions, please contact an approved supplier or converter from the list.

Insights and case studies