Get EV charging infrastructure right

An EV flood is expected, so New Zealand needs to work on its charging infrastructure to avoid problems.

That’s the message from Drive Electric board member and Audi New Zealand general manager Dean Sheed and others at the Electro Mobility Summit in Auckland.

Sheed also says more people are needed from the high voltage tech training sector to help handle EVs, as vehicles have changed much in the past few years.

And while most EV drivers charge at home, smart charging technology also has to expand to avoid power overloading at peak times, the summit heard.

In fact, EV charging was included by many speakers, including the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority’s Richard Briggs who talked about EV charging billing so that a variety of payment systems may no longer be required, including for “billing roaming”.

Concern was raised about queuing for some EV chargers and issues with fixing some, Briggs pointing out that more high-power chargers which can charge multiple EVs simultaneously are on the way.

Times to recharge are also dropping, with newer EVs able to do to in about 15 minutes.

A business leaders panel comprising FleetPartners director and Drive Electric board member Dennis Kelly, Polestar New Zealand brand manager Bruce Fowler, BSH Home Appliances director Darryl Robinson and FleetPartners sustainability lead Brent Thompson covered aspects of the journey to a carbon zero fleet.

Ministry of Transport senior policy advisor Sigurd Magnusson talked about the Government’s role in supporting heavy EV uptake, and a panel covered e-mobility revolutionising employee travel.

You can read more from the summit in the August EVs and Beyond magazine.