The number of electric vehicle (EV) public chargers around New Zealand will more than double thanks to NZD 52.7 million in zero-interest loans from the Government and co-investment from ChargeNet and Meridian.
Transport Minister Chris Bishop said many New Zealanders have considered getting an EV, even before the current fuel challenges, and that research shows the lack of public charging stations has held many back from making the switch.
“The private sector is reluctant to invest in charging infrastructure until there's sufficient demand, but demand won't grow until the lack of public chargers stops putting buyers off,” he said.
“Just as the previous National-led Government did with the ultrafast broadband network rollout, we’re taking action to break that deadlock."
ChargeNet and Meridian Energy were selected through a contestable, value-for-money bid process. Both companies are co-investing a combined NZD 60 million of their own capital alongside the Government loans, taking the total investment to over NZD 110 million.
"Concessionary loans bring forward private investment in public EV charging infrastructure by lowering the cost of capital, while keeping the taxpayer's contribution to a minimum,” added Bishop.
“In this case, the average loan per charge point is NZD 20,000, but once repayments are factored in, the net cost to the Crown is around NZD 10,000 per charger, roughly a quarter of what a direct grant would cost.
He also mentioned that the government will be changing its planning rules to make the installation of public EV chargers a permitted activity under the RMA, meaning in most cases no consent is required, another factor that will help to speed up delivery.
The 2,574 new charge points include 1,374 DC fast chargers and 1,200 AC chargers.
DC fast chargers deliver power directly to the battery and can charge a car in 20 to 60 minutes, making them suited to highways and destinations where people stop briefly.
AC chargers are slower but better suited to places where cars are parked for longer periods, such as shopping centres, workplaces, and residential areas.
About half the new chargers will be spread across Auckland, Hamilton, Tauranga, the Wellington region, Christchurch, and Dunedin, with the other half throughout the regions, so drivers outside the main centres will benefit too.
New Zealand currently has about 1,800 public charging points, which is among the lowest charger-to-EV ratios in the OECD.
Another 161 charge points are also in progress. Combined with the announced investment, the national total will be around 4,550. The Government is working towards 10,000 charge points by 2030, roughly one for every 40 EVs.
Climate Change Minister Simon Watts said that owning an EV in New Zealand already makes strong financial sense.
“Electricity is cheaper than petrol and almost entirely generated from renewable sources like wind, geothermal, solar, and hydro," said Watts.
“Kiwis are already making the shift to electric vehicles as a cost-of-living choice, and we have seen uptake grow.”
In February 2026, EV sales were up 10.5 percent on the same month last year, and anecdotal evidence suggested even greater interest over the past couple of weeks, as conflict in the Middle East has driven up fuel prices.
"At a time when global fuel markets are volatile, that matters. A better charging network means more New Zealanders can take advantage of it, and that's good for household budgets and our emissions profile alike. EVs produce at least 60 percent fewer lifecycle emissions than petrol vehicles."
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