ChargeNet charging points outside New World Hobsonville Point. Photo / Chris Keall
ChargeNet charging points outside New World Hobsonville Point. Photo / Chris Keall
Fast-chargers on public networks can top up your EV a lot more swiftly than most people can charge at home - but you have to pay a premium for the privilege.
Genesis Energy has closed that gap with its new "EVerywhere" scheme which lets its customers recharge on ChargeNet's networkof 280 public chargers for the same price they pay for their electricity at home.
The price you pay at home depends on the make and model of your EV, your power plan, and in many cases the time of day, while ChargeNet's rates vary by location and even individual chargers.
But Genesis' chief digital officer Peter Kennedy says a broad rule of thumb is that an EV can be charged overnight at home for about $3 per 100km (or the equivalent of paying about 30 cents per litre for petrol).
So, public charger savings of up to 70 per cent beckon for those who use EVerywhere.
You'll pay your home electricity rate whether you're using one of ChargeNet's 25 kilowatt fast-chargers, a 50kW rapid-charger or a 300kW hyper-charger (ordinarily, you pay a higher rate for the 50kW and 300kW options).
Again, there are many variables, including your model of EV and the efficiency of its battery (which declines with age, the same as the lithium-ion batteries in your phone and laptop).
But ChargeNet's broadstrokes guideline is that your EV will get 2km of range for every 15 minutes it's plugged into a standard 2kW power plug at home.
If you've got a 7kW charger in your garage, you can expect up to 10km of range for every 15 minutes plugged in.
A 25kW charger will give you up to 33km of range per 15 minutes of charging; a 50kW charger up to 66km per quarter-hour; and a 300kW charger can deliver a stonking 400km of range in 15 minutes.
Genesis' chief digital officer Peter Kennedy. Photo / Brett Phibbs
So it's quite a perk to pay your home energy rate, whether you plug into a 25kW public charger or a 300kW beast.
"That will help nudge those on the cusp of deciding whether to buy an EV," Kennedy said (and of course, it also won't harm Genesis' prospects with EV owners on the cusp of choosing a new power company).
Easing range anxiety
Genesis says EVerywhere will also address two of the top issues that emerged from a trial involving 100 customers: range anxiety and convenience.
Kennedy says the power company's trial, which took place over several months, found that "once people had EVerywhere, they were more comfortable travelling further in their EVs". "We saw them using the public charging network more often and trying it out for the first time."
In terms of convenience, EVerywhere can be accessed through Genesis' Energy IQ app, linking to a ChargeNet account, and your public network EV top-ups appear on your regular power bill (the rate you're charged for a top-up on a public charger will sync with whatever rate you're on at home at the time, for those on lower rates for offpeak power).
"We know that recharging challenges are a hurdle to EV adoption, so developing a product in-house to remove some of those barriers is pleasing. We're passionate about encouraging the transition to electric vehicles, and know we must think differently to resolve some of the concerns of EV owners and those considering switching to EVs," Kennedy said.
Genesis Energy's EV app. Image / Supplied
"Electricity is central to the country transitioning to a low-carbon future, and decarbonising transport is a key priority within that," Kennedy said. "EVerywhere will help increase confidence in electric vehicles, which is an important step in moving the country forward."
According to Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency, ChargeNet is the dominant player in public charging.
The agency lists a total of 343 public chargers in NZ.
ChargeNet - a regular recipient of EECA funding - currently has 282 charge points dotted around the country at locations like supermarket carparks and malls, with 60 under development.
Managing EV charging at home
Genesis' other EV effort is its "EV Sync" trial with Evnex, a Christchurch maker of 7.4kW ($2295) and 22kW ($2995) fast-chargers which can be installed at home.
Evnex's smart chargers can be set to charge your EV at an off-peak time when prices are cheaper on many plans, and can talk to a power company's network to manage the load (something that will become increasingly important as EV adoption takes off).
EV ownership has spiked since the Government introduced its Clean Car Discount in June last year, followed up by the so-called "ute tax" penalty on higher-emission vehicles this year.
As of March, there were 38,117 on the road in New Zealand. Transpower projections see up to 1.5 million electric vehicles on the road by 2035 as prices come down and the major car manufacturers stop producing petrol vehicles.
