Economist Simon Orme, who co-authored a report for the Australian fast-charger network Evie earlier this year, says poorly designed network pricing structures and high connection charges with very high fixed costs in New Zealand may be barriers to the efficient entry and deployment of public vehicle charging networks.

“This is because they result in very high network prices per unit of electricity sold to EV consumers.  A lack of transparency on available network capacity also makes decisions about the siting of public charging stations more challenging than necessary.”

National announced its plan to deliver a nationwide network of 10,000 public vehicle chargers by 2030 yesterday.

It said range anxiety due to the lack of a comprehensive network was one of the main barriers for many people considering switching to an EV. 

And that anxiety was well-founded, with New Zealand having the fewest public chargers per electric vehicle in the OECD. 

“As EV technology improves and major car manufacturers phase out their production of internal combustion vehicles, EVs will become the preferred choice for more and more Kiwi families with or without subsidies – but only if the charging infrastructure to support them is available.”

National has committed to scrapping the clean car subsidy saying it’s unnecessary. 

Taxpayers’ Union slams policy

The New Zealand Taxpayers’ Union, considered by many to be little more than a National Party cheerleader, has slammed the policy.

NZTU campaigns manager Callum Purves said with forecasts for an increasing price of carbon and the lower cost of running an EV there was no need for government intervention.

“Removing the need to consent EV chargers is a good start and if the next Government wants more chargers they should sit down with some of the major industry players and work out what other regulatory hurdles can be removed to promote more investment,” Purves said.

MTA welcomes policy

The Motor Trade Association welcomed the announcement.

“EVs have a huge role to play in making our roads cleaner and safer, and right now the lack of an adequate EV charging network is a real barrier to adoption,” MTA chief executive Lee Marshall said.

The MTA supported dropping the clean car discount. “The CCD served its purpose in increasing the number of electrified and low-emitting vehicles on our roads.

“On the negative side, a lot of people who benefitted could already afford to buy high-cost EVs without financial assistance.”

Greens say policy makes zero sense

As the originators of the Clean Car Discount the Greens opposition to its removal could be taken as a given but its attitude to increased funding for charging network was less predictable.

And it was the removal of the CCD that was the focus of the party’s response.

“The National Party’s plan to install EV chargers while at the same time making it harder for people to buy an EV is bizarre and ridiculous,” Green Party transport pokesperson Julie Anne Genter said.

“The government already has a plan to put charging hubs in place every 150 – 200 kms on main highways by 2028. It makes absolutely no sense to cancel the one policy that is doing more than any other to drive the massive adoption of EVs around the country.”

ChargeNet welcomes bipartisan support

Nationwide EV charging network ChargeNet welcomed the bipartisan support for rolling out more EV charges.

“With both National and Labour offering support to emerging EV charging industry, the bipartisan support to decarbonise the transport sector is an encouraging sign for investors and New Zealand drivers,” ChargeNet CEO Danusia Wypych said.

Differential registration costs could be a better solution

Economist Simon Orme suggested a change to road user charges might be the most efficient way to speed up the uptake of EVs. 

“I think a better long-term intervention is differential annual registration charges where polluting vehicles are charged more and zero emissions vehicles least. I think that’s the norm in the EU.”