Several challenges are facing personal transport in New Zealand; the need to reduce carbon emissions, the depletion of cheap oil reserves, increasing congestion, localised pollution and the need for long term sustainability. One possible solution to replace petrol/diesel cars could be the mass deployment of cost competitive, comfortable, attractive, energy efficient battery electric vehicles (BEVs). This paper first discusses the social and technical barriers that have hindered the development of this type of electric vehicle and secondly, how they can now be overcome. The electricity supply for a New Zealand fleet of 2 million battery electric cars is also discussed.