Work is underway to ensure New Zealand keeps up with the latest charging technology.

So say Drive Electric’s EV charging experts.

EV advocacy group board member Ewan Morris says the public and private sectors are working together to future-proof current infrastructure.

“Locally, we need to prepare our main highways for future high-power charging infrastructure,” says Morris, who is also managing director of charging infrastructure technology supplier ABB.

“That will help us meet the demand for future high-power charging for long-range EVs.”

wan Morris

Higher kilowatt charging is already a reality and will continue to increase, Morris says.

“When we look at public charging infrastructure, the majority of cars will charge at 50kW until 2020. “With the first cars with up to 150kW charging coming to the market at the end of 2018, we foresee 50kW charging shifting to metropolitan areas, with high power/fast chargers with 150-350kW mainly being used on highway locations on long distance corridors.”

Allowances also need to be made for private and residential charging, he says.

“As the penetration of EVs increases, a key consideration for New Zealand will be the ability to allow for shifting the peak load through managed charging and control.

“Regulation will most likely be needed to help mandate intelligent/connected home chargers that will enable loads to be managed and peaks to be shifted.”

Planned housing growth is also creating an opportunity to educate people about the benefits of home charging, Morris says.

“To offer people that knowledge now with smart AC chargers will prevent the need for retrofitting in the years to come. This could also require some regulation we think, as in effect people will have a fuel station at home.”

Drive Electric board member Steve West says world governments are setting strict targets for reducing carbon emissions, which accelerates EV adoption.

However, people will not make the move to EVs without access to reliable rapid charging, says West, ChargeNet NZ’s chief executive.

“As such, we have seen both governments and the private sector make significant investments in developing infrastructure in order to support the exponential growth in electric vehicle adoption.”

West says the government and private sector are moving to develop and implement policy frameworks and an operating environment for a zero-carbon economy by 2050, which includes significant investment in EV adoption.

He notes Norwegian EV Association secretary general Christina Bu told the EV Roadmap Conference in Oregon, that New Zealand has “blown away the rest of the western world in terms of its growth in the electrification of transport”.

“In terms of infrastructure, New Zealand has well-developed nationwide charging infrastructure compared to the rest of the world – especially for a small-market nation. There are 94 DC fast chargers and 27 AC chargers on ChargeNet NZ’s nationwide network alone,” West says.

“Motorists will appreciate an electric vehicle fast charging network across New Zealand that makes long distance driving a clean, quiet and hassle-free experience.”