EV proponents push for chargeable cars
The days when Kiwis charge their cars just like their phones are coming, electric vehicle proponents say.
One of them has been driving an EV for three years and says she can cover 100km on about $3 worth of electricity.
A couple of Teslas were cruising Hamilton’s streets on Monday, when The Better NZ Trust was in town to promote electric vehicles (EVs).
About 308 EVs are owned by Waikato people and Hamilton could be in line for chargers at some of its supermarkets.
Nationally, there are about 6600 EVs on Kiwi roads, government statistics show, and uptake is increasing.
On Monday, Better NZ chairwoman Kathryn Trounson drove a Tesla Model S 90D down to Hamilton for a gathering organised by law firm Tompkins Wake.
However, her normal weekday runabout is an electric BMW i3.
‘‘If the electricity comes out of your … socket at home, I reckon I can do 100km on $3 worth of electricity,’’ she said.
The car has saved Trounson about $100 a month on petrol over the three years she’s had it, she said.
Electric car prices range from around $10,000 for an entry level Nissan Leaf to more than $100,000 for a Tesla Model S.
And though the cheaper electric cars may be able to do 150km between charges, more expensive options do well over 300km.
Hamiltonian Megan Owen reckons she has saved about $2000 in a few months with her 2015 Nissan Leaf.
That’s after subtracting the cost of charging, and more than 8000km which she has covered since September.
And because the car doesn’t have traditional parts – like a gearbox or radiator – she’s expecting fewer maintenance costs.
Electric vehicles work like a mobile phone, Better NZ trustee Sean Dick said – you keep them topped up.
‘‘On a long trip, you have got to decide, I’m going to drive somewhere between nought and 400km and charge. That’s lunch, basically … leave the car on the charger,’’ he said.
WEL Networks has five chargers around the region but more could soon pop up in spots like supermarkets or airports, general manager of asset management Paul Blue said.
The Te Kauwhata charger is the most popular by far, he said, so a second one could be needed.
It’s crystal ball-gazing, but he thinks we’re about five to ten years away from EVs being an option people don’t bat an eyelid at when buying a car.
Hamilton City Council is also moving to support electric vehicles, and partnered with WEL Networks to set up the Caro St charger.