Charging on
As the number of electric vehicles increases on our roads, the need for chargers — and using chargers correctly — is being highlighted.
Last year, more than 1000 new electric vehicles (EVs) and plug-in EVs were sold in New Zealand, while on average 100 used import Nissan Leafs arrive here from Japan and the UK every month.
While our electric highway of free or fee-based chargers is increasing, I still encounter queues at popular Vector charging stations around Auckland.
That’s down to the fact that many homes, especially inner-city Auckland villas and bungalows, don’t have a garage, so owners of EVs have to use public charging stations daily.
But if you have a garage, electric vehicle advocacy group Drive Electric encourages potential EV owners to find out whether their properties are suitable for homecharging.
Drive Electric board member Eric Pellicer says charging at home is the easiest way to power up an EV.
“The good news is many homes should allow EV charging. But often a standard electrical socket on its own isn’t safe and specialist electric vehicle supply equipment (EVSE) is needed,” he says.
“We recommend getting a home assessment done by a qualified professional. Electricians are also going through an educational process since the advent of EVs, with master electricians running a series of workshops to educate their members about likely changes to industry guidelines.”
The key to picking the right charger is finding out the size of the vehicle’s on-board AC charger, says Drive Electric.
The advocacy group advises not to use extension cords with any EVSE equipment because they aren’t designed to handle the large amounts of electricity required. ■
New Zealand Electric Vehicle (EV) sales have skyrocketed year after year, with many predicting the same for 2018.
In 2015 just 505 EVs were registered, 1526 in 2016 and last year a whopping 3682 electric vehicles were added to the fleet.
Vehicle manufacturers are also launching an impressive variety of new EVs, so not only do we have a growing used market, but we now have more choice in new types and brands, with prices becoming more attractive, too.
With all these EVs driving around, it’s important to make sure our electrical systems can cope with the appropriate charging, and that the risks are identified and reduced — especially if charging at home.
Charging at home overnight is the simplest, cheapest, and most convenient way to charge.
You may be able to take advantage of “off-peak” electricity rates, and some power companies offer special rates for EV owners.
Although with New Zealand’s target of 64,000 EVs by 2021, whether overnight charging remains “off-peak” is a question yet to be answered.
In saying that, a number of companies (Transpower, Orion & MBIE) have performed studies and claim that even if 50 per cent of our light passenger fleet were electric the drain on the grid might
Nigel Broomhall, Drive Electric charging expert
only be around 4-8 per cent.
However, Drive Electric board member Eric Pellicer advises that although many homes should allow EV charging, in a lot of cases a standard electrical socket on its own isn’t safe and specialist electric vehicle supply equipment (EVSE) or an EV charge station (EVCS) is required.
He recommends getting a home assessment done by a qualified professional.
“Electricians are going through an educational process since the advent of EVs, with master electricians running a series of workshops to help educate their members about likely changes to industry guidelines,” he says.
Pellicer says some dealers are already offering home assessments for their customers, which helps ease some of the fears for a potential owner.
A standard 5kW, 20A Type 2 charge cable can cost around $555 and a basic 4.6kW, 10-20A wall charger starts at $2299 on the Chargemaster website.
The good thing with these products is that they conform to WorkSafe NZ standards as they have a number of built-in safety features. (For more information, visit chargemaster.co.nz)
Drive Electric charging expert Nigel Broomhall says quality chargers are rated for use in heavy rain, ice, snow and excess heat, and will not put you at risk of electrocution. “Some cheaper products warn not to charge in the rain, which is never a good sign,” he says.
Some important tips to remember when charging an EV at home:
■ Never use extension cords with any EVSE equipment. They are not designed to handle the large amounts of electricity required to fully charge an EV. They can melt, catch fire, or present an electrification hazard.
■ Be careful with adaptors. Unless the adaptor has been approved by the charger manufacturer, it will not be WorkSafe compliant.
■ When building a new house or garage, you can future-proof by thinking about the potential of an EV charger and power socket location and fitment.
■ For your safety it is recommended that any charge unit or power supply installation be carried out by a licensed and qualified electrician familiar with NZ industry standards.
SOME CHEAPER PRODUCTS WARN NOT TO CHARGE IN THE RAIN, WHICH IS NEVER A GOOD SIGN