The number of Electric Vehicles (EVs) on Aotearoa's roads has grown significantly since 2021, encouraged partly by Kiwis' evolving attitudes to EVs, lower prices, increased model variety, and Government rebates contributing to growing market share. As of the end of July 2023, there were over 59,000 fully electric vehicles and 24,000 plug-in hybrids, accounting for around 1.8 percent of the country's light vehicle fleet. It's an encouraging start as New Zealand works towards a decarbonised transport sector, with the Government ambitiously aiming for 30 percent to be fully electric by 2035 to help meet Aotearoa's emissions reduction targets.
Since its inception in 2010, Z Energy (Z) has acknowledged its role in New Zealand's climate problem, and it has always had the philosophy of moving from being part of the problem to being part of the solution. As Z Energy continues delivering the fuel Aotearoa needs today, it is committed to contributing to decarbonising New Zealand's transport network.
There's no doubt that a core component of this transition is a scaled domestic EV charging network that enables accessible, affordable, convenient, and reliable charging solutions to meet the needs of drivers now and into the future.
Yet right now, New Zealand has the worst ratio of public chargers to electric vehicles in the world. It's a worrying statistic, given one of the known barriers to EV ownership is range anxiety - the fear that drivers might run out of charge on the road. Charging up anywhere, anytime, is vital if New Zealand wants to succeed.
As well as creating exciting partnerships for innovative home-charging solutions and working with businesses in fleet transition, Z is committed to helping to ensure Kiwis can charge their EVs as they travel around the country. By the end of this year, Z Energy will have EV charging at 20 percent of Z service stations, with many more in the works.
Z Energy had hoped to have had more charging sites operational by now, but an unfit-for-purpose system has created significant barriers to the nationwide rollout. With 29 Electricity Distribution Businesses (EDBs) and multiple government agencies involved, there needs to be more consistency in the approval and connection process, timing, and price. As it stands, the industry is not set up to move at the scale or pace of the transition.
Prioritising a more efficient and streamlined process would enable more significant investment in infrastructure, seeing more EV charging points come online at pace to the benefit of Kiwis. Currently, delays at every step of the process mean it's taking around a year on average to get a network connection for an EV charging site. Z Energy believes this could be achieved in under three months with a streamlined and consistent approach.
Z's recent submission to the Ministry of Transport's Charging Our Future: a draft long-term electric vehicle charging Strategy for Aotearoa New Zealand called for greater collaboration between the Government and the private sector to address the significant barriers to installing the network. For businesses like Z to continue investing in and delivering private and public charging, the Government has a crucial role in ensuring that regulatory settings are fit-for-purpose and market failures are addressed.
The Strategy presents a vital opportunity to address where there are barriers to the network rollout and collectively resolve them. However, it is essential not to lose sight of short-term solutions to help meet the needs of New Zealand's low-carbon early adopters now while developing longer-term pathways.
Despite the challenges, Z welcomes existing Government investment in public charging networks and looks forward to working closely with the sector as New Zealand transitions towards a low-carbon future. Z has always believed that charging an EV should be no more complicated than filling up a petrol-fuelled car, and Z Energy is excited to help its customers in the transition.
With EV chargers planned for around 40 different Z sites, Z aims to make the charging experience pleasant - with canopies for shelter and large bays into which drivers can safely charge - and reduce anxiety for EV drivers. Z Energy wants it to be as easy to find a charger as it is to find a petrol station, but this will only be achieved with collaborative, fit-for-purpose systems to take us well into the future.
