On the charge to EV targets
Australian company lobbies for National to simplify New Zealand’s electricity lines structure,
Although the National Government was swift in dropping the axe on the Clean Car Discount scheme, electric vehicles and emissions reduction are still referenced as being among its priorities. In the absence of a rebate on electric vehicles, National has pledged to shift investment into the creation of more charging infrastructure. It has pledged to build 10,000 public EV chargers by the end of the decade. But, complications with local grid infrastructure mean achieving the goal could be an uphill battle, according to one EV charging company.
Australian EV firm Jolt entered the New Zealand market last year with a unique premise. Its 25kW DC charger units offer customers a free 7kW of energy per day, or roughly enough for 40km-50km of travel. After 7kWh, users are changed 47c per kW – a rate that the brand believes is affordable.
Jolt can offer free charging as a selection of its chargers come with a built-in digital advertising hoarding, helping offset not only the cost of granting users free power, but also the costs of setting up chargers in built-up, busy locations.
The company recently finished installing its 10th charger in Christchurch. It also has charging stations in Auckland, with Wellington next on the hit list as part of a specific focus on New Zealand’s most built-up areas. Offshore, Jolt has a presence in Australia, the UK, and the US, with further growth on the horizon.
Jolt chief executive Doug McNamee saw the need for such a charging system several years ago. “I was in Sydney in an apartment and didn’t have access to charging in our garage, so I knew I had to go into a public network. At the time, 2017, there were like three fast chargers in Sydney. I remember thinking ‘this is crazy’,” he said.
“I was working in advertising at the time, and knew that if you were able to deliver on the advertising component of it, advertisers would love it because the premium locations create audiences.
“We launched in London this year, and I was a bit nervous ... But our network in London performs the best out of all of them. When there’s 81 charging networks [in London] and we can come in and make a bit of an impact, we’re onto a winner.”
With numerous governments – including ours – pledging to bolster their respective EV charging infrastructure, it is undeniably a good time to be in the charging space. But, McNamee notes that there is at least one barrier between New Zealand and the hopes of creating 10,000 chargers in six years.
According to McNamee, New Zealand has 27 different electric distribution voltages, or EDVs. An Australian state like New South Wales, with a comparable population to New Zealand, has just two. This proliferation of EDVs brings with it complications, making it difficult for charging companies to set up shop.
“You’ve essentially got 27 different sets of rules. The charger in Wellington is different to the charger in Christchurch, which is different to the charger in northern Auckland which is different to the one in South Auckland. It doesn’t need to be that complicated,” said McNamee.
“It takes a longer time in New Zealand to get a grid connection than in other jurisdictions. I wouldn’t say it’s a real difficulty, we just think it’s an opportunity for New Zealand to lean into. If we want to hit the installation targets we’re aiming for, what are the things we can do?”
McNamee is working together with Drive Electric to lobby the Government into investigating how to simplify the lines process and make it easier for charging companies like Jolt to build their chargers around the country. The chief executive promises that, alongside making infrastructure targets easier to hit, simplification of local lines could create financial benefits.
“If you get the settings right, whether it’s EDV settings or government settings, you can unlock billions of dollars in private sector investment into the market. It’s more an opportunity to say how do we go faster and standardisation of EDV processes across the 27 EDVs is going to be critical,” he said.
“I think New Zealand has a really good opportunity but it’s about leaning into it and [knowing] that there’s literally going to be [a charger] on every street corner, in every garage, in every underground car park, in anywhere a vehicle goes.
“[Governments] sometimes struggle to comprehend their targets ... Let’s say we’re building 10,000 chargers by 2030. That’s literally 80 chargers a month if you straightline it. Translating those ambitions and goal to what’s happening now is a challenge everyone’s going through.”