Christina Bu, of the Norwegian Electric Vehicle Association, is in our newspapers, TV and radio espousing Norway's 50 per cent ownership of EV/hybrid cars (News, November 28).
Norway taxes heavily large polluting private vehicles and subsidises the purchase of electric vehicles.
What she doesn't explain is that 98 per cent of Norway's electricity is generated by hydro and that Norway is the third largest exporter of natural gas and exports large quantities of crude oil.
Norway's revenue from exporting gas and crude oil is 442 billion Krone (NZ$75 billion). That income largely subsidises electric vehicles and social outcomes.
Norway has held its sovereign assets unlike NZ who, in my opinion sold its citizens down the river by divesting our rich assets for short-term gain.
Norway's management of its huge sovereign wealth is a measure of strong, political and financial ethics over time.
Maureen J Anderson
Pyes Pa
Road congestion
Does it not seem an obvious solution to ease the congestion on our local roads, to use a ferry service from both Ōmokoroa and Mount Maunganui.
Yes I would think it would have to be subsidised but wouldn't it also be an attraction for tourists.
And what about a little train shuttle from Bayfair to Downtown Tauranga via Matapihi?
(A rustic old train of the past).
John Wratt
Papamoa