The Government has pushed ahead with its drive to deliver 10,000 public EV chargers by 2030, opening a second round of zero-interest loans to encourage private sector investment in charging infrastructure.
Transport Minister Chris Bishop said that many Kiwis were interested in switching to an EV to cut down on fuel costs or their carbon footprint, but had concerns about access to public chargers, especially for longer journeys outside main centres.
“Before this Government began addressing the issue, New Zealand had just over 1,800 public charge points, one of the lowest charger-to-EV ratios in the OECD,” said Bishop.
“It’s a classic chicken-and-egg situation. Companies are reluctant to invest in new charging infrastructure until there are more EVs on the road, while many people are hesitant to buy an EV until they know charging will be readily available.”
He added that by unlocking greater private investment and expanding the public charging network, New Zealanders will have the confidence they need to make the switch.
National Infrastructure Funding and Financing (NIFFCo) will shortly release a Request for Proposals (RFP) for the second round of concessionary loans for public EV charging infrastructure. Around NZD 21 million will be available for charge point operators seeking co-investment to deliver portfolios of public charging sites across New Zealand.
Applications will be assessed through an open procurement process focused on delivering the greatest value for money and the strongest contribution to the growth of New Zealand’s public charging network.
The second funding round was built on the successful first round of concessionary loans announced in March, which will deliver 2,574 new charge points through partnerships with ChargeNet and Meridian Energy.
Bishop added that round one demonstrated strong market demand for the programme and showed that concessionary loans can successfully unlock significant private-sector investment.
The projects already underway will more than double New Zealand’s public charging network and represent a major step towards achieving long-term infrastructure goals.
By 2030, he said, the target is to have 10,000 public charge points across the country, providing roughly one charger for every 40 EVs.
Energy Minister Simeon Brown added that rolling out EV chargers will reduce range anxiety for EV drivers.
“New Zealanders will make the best choices for their own circumstances, as we are seeing with the greater uptake of EVs without unnecessary subsidies from taxpayers. With actions like loans for public EV chargers, the Government is helping provide the infrastructure and settings to broaden those choices. The additional funding will accelerate charger deployment and give the market greater confidence to invest,” said Brown.
“Concessionary loans lower the cost of capital and help overcome the challenge that charging infrastructure often needs to be built before demand is fully established. By partnering with the private sector, we’re bringing forward investment, getting more chargers into communities sooner, and ensuring taxpayers receive good value for money.”
More from the c-store here
