Network Tasman’s public fast-chargers no longer free

Network Tasman’s three public electric vehicle (EV) charging stations in Nelson City, Richmond and Takaka have joined the nationwide ChargeNet NZ network.

For the past two years, use of the charging stations has been free while the company assessed demand and supported early adoption of EV technology in the region.

From August 1, Network Tasman has introduced a 25c per kWh charge, plus 25c per minute of charging time.

“Introducing pricing for the fast-charging stations will cover the cost of the service and ensure that other providers can viably invest in further charging infrastructure,” Network Tasman chief executive officer Oliver Kearney says.

“We have received positive feedback on the changes from EV users but with only a limited number of chargers currently available, in combination with these being free, customers have experienced significant congestion and wait times. The changes will ensure that the units are used as efficiently as possible.”

EV owners will be able to pay either through the ChargeNet.nz phone app or by creating an account and purchasing an RFID fob via the Charge.Net.nz website.

The ChargeNet NZ phone app and website displays the location, availability and operational status of chargers nationally, allowing EV users to plan their route and see the state of their vehicle charge in progress.

That data is available on the NZ Transport Agency’s EVRoam website.

Vehicle owners can be notified by text when the charging session is finished, or if there has been an interruption to the session.

EV ownership is high in the Nelson Tasman region. The number of EVs in the area has almost tripled in the past year, and Nelson Tasman is second only to Auckland in terms of ownership levels per head of population.

Network Tasman is undertaking a study to gauge the impact of EV charging on peak network loads to help inform the company’s future asset management planning for the region.