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The days of Cabinet ministers being chauffeur-driven in petrol-guzzling limousines look to be numbered following Helen Clark's promise of more radical measures to cut greenhouse gas emissions.
But don't expect to see ministers squeezing into Toyota Echos or Suzuki Swifts.
The Prime Minister, who is responsible for VIP transport, said Internal Affairs was looking at replacements for the fuel-thirsty Ford Fairlanes that make up most of the 46-vehicle fleet.
However, she said it was not a simple matter of buying smaller cars. There were "practical considerations", as the cars often transported up to four people over long distances.
"You've got a driver, a minister, a staff member - if not two other people in the car.
"We do have to have a sizeable car. We have got to have a car where people like myself, who work constantly, can actually work and read in the back as well."
The Greens have long criticised the ministerial fleet, saying the Fairlanes, which chew through 14.5 litres of petrol per 100km, were bought after the Government agreed to sign the Kyoto Protocol.
Parliament was told in July that the VIP Transport Service was running four hybrid petro-electric vehicles, while LPG-fuelled cars had also been tested.
