Nz Ev Charging Behaviour Insights From Evnex

With many power companies offering reduced off-peak rates at 9pm, there’s been a significant surge in power demand at that time by EV owners.

That’s likely to continue and even increase as new EVs are developed with longer ranges, meaning larger batteries and bigger power demands, says Evnex.

The first in a regular series of charging reports by Evnex shows a strong power peak at 9pm, as people start to charge their EVs as soon as cheaper electricity prices begin.

Evnex makes chargers that use smart technology that helps drivers choose the best time for their EV to charge without having to remember to plug in at that time.

It aims to reduce pressure on NZ’s grid infrastructure, help EV owners uitilise cheaper electricity rates and employ the most renewable energy.

It has encouraged and promoted the use of smart charging technology since its inception in 2014 and advocates for smart charging regulation.

Founder Ed Harvey started the company after using his own engineering expertise to convert his Honda Accord into an EV, beginning this journey to create a smarter solution for EV charging.

He says future-proofing EV charging is important and a pressing issue for NZ’s infrastructure.

“Over the last three months, plug-in vehicles have averaged nearly 15% of New Zealand’s total vehicle registrations,” he says.

“In the coming years, these vehicles will impact our electricity industry in a number of ways, requiring new innovations in technology and regulations.

“The decisions we make now will help ensure that the right infrastructure is in place to reduce the peaks in charging demand and minimise future network reinforcement costs.

“We’re working with the Government, lines companies and electricity retailers to help make smart charging a core part of NZ’s EV network.” Harvey says Evnex is committed to an efficient and equitable transition to electric transport.

“Through this series of reports, we hope to share critical insights and trends that encourage further discussions and better inform industry partners and the NZ Government of the electricity demands generated by electric vehicle uptake in NZ,” Harvey says.

Evnex’s initial research reviews EV charging in June to August, focusing on driver behaviour and the expected mean load profile of residential chargers across the nation.

Evnex analysed data from more than 500 residential chargers and 17,000 charging sessions.

The research found the amount of energy delivered per session is increasing, daytime charging sessions tend to start immediately, and overnight charging is often delayed and has a strong 9pm peak.

More than 2500 Evnex smart chargers have been installed in residential and commercial locations around New Zealand and Australia.

They offer EV owners the option to use locally generated energy (and renewable energy where available), with leading in-app features supporting EVs to be charged at the cheapest and most efficient times, with a “plug in and forget” approach.

The company has introduced its Electricity Pricing tool, designed to make it as simple as possible for EV owners to manage and track charging costs.

Evnex is the only EV charger manufacturer with products licenced and certified by Buy NZ Made.