Electric Vehicles (EV)

An Electric Vehicle (EV) runs on a rechargeable battery powering an electric motor. This means is doesn’t use petrol, diesel or oil, has no exhaust, no clutch or gears, no spark plugs, and no roaring noise or vibrations

Five Reasons to Go Electric

There are plenty of reasons to go electric.

Rebates are available to anyone purchasing an EV or plug-in hybrid EV — up to $7,015 for new vehicles and up to $3507.50 for used vehicles that are first registered in New Zealand from 1st April 2021. The discount applies to cars with a star safety rating of at least three, and under $80,000.

If all light vehicles in New Zealand were electric (which is a long way off), our current total electricity demand would increase by around 20%, EECA estimates. Enough renewable electricity infrastructure is being built that, added to our existing network, will easily accommodate a larger EV fleet, especially with off-peak charging

1. Slash Greenhouse Gas Emissions

Petrol vehicles emit 5 times more CO2 than equivalent EVs whilst driven in NZ. Electricity generated here is typically at least 80% renewable (mostly from hydro, geothermal and wind).
Battery EVs emit 60% fewer climate-changing emissions over their full life cycle than petrol vehicles
EECA report on Life Cycle Assessment of EVs (PDF) GenLess Infographic (PDF)

2. Cheap to run

Battery EV motors have so few moving parts, there is less to maintain or go wrong. Using an EV and charging at home is like paying 40c per litre for fuel

 

Plug-in EVs are also exempt from road user charges (RUC) until 31 March 2024, saving owners $600 a year on average.

EV Running Cost Calculator (XLSX)

3. No more petrol station visits

90% of travel by car in NZ is less than 90km! The typical battery powered electric vehicle ranges are around 120km for older models such as the Nissan Leaf and up to 400km for newer models cars such as the Hyundai Kona and the Tesla Model 3.

 

Being able to charge at home is more convenient than having to go to fuel stations. For longer trips, there are public chargers at least every 75km on most of the state highway network with more being added every day.

Learn more about EV Charging

4. Quiet and powerful

As soon as you touch the accelerator you get full power from an EV as it has no gears. There is also no engine noise. They’re great at climbing hills and recharge going downhill.

5. Plug into any power point

As long as all equipment is designed for use in NZ and for the conditions in which it will be used you can charge inside or outside in any weather

Key Considerations Before Buying an EV

There are a few considerations that you need to consider before purchasing an EV.

What is my daily commute like?

Charging at home once or twice a week would be enough to cover most peoples’ day-to-day driving. Most EVs allow you to set a charging timer so that you charge at lower electricity price overnight

Learn more

Where will I charge my EV?

Your EV can be charged either on a public charger or a home charger. It helps if you have off-street parking (so you can charge your EV off the road) and access to a plug

EV chargers

What type of charger do I need?

You can charge your EV from the normal 3-pin plug in your house, but it is advisable to have an EV charger.

EV chargers
Find out more about Electric Vehicles