Z Electric considers EV and e-scooter subscription

Z Electric, launched by Z Energy and Auckland advertising agency Chemistry, offers an electricity and fuel rewards bundle.

The new business aims to help customers and its own business transition to EVs, although Z chief innovation officer Scott Bishop tells Stuff it’s a “paradox” that Z Electric’s initial selling point is fuel rewards, indicating alternative incentives could be arranged for customers who had already switched to EVs.

However, Bishop points out that most ‘EV homes’ also have a petrol car, but that in future motorists could recharge EVs at Z service stations and have the cost added to their electricity bill.

Z Electric might eventually offer EVs and e-scooters to customers though a subscription service and also establish a service for roof-top solar panels and home battery installation, Stuff reports.

Another goal would be to provide better information to power users considering a switch to EVs, for example on getting chargers installed, Bishop tells Stuff.

Chemistry managing partner Penny Wolhuter says: “Z Electric offers its customers the chance to join a New Zealand company that rewards everyone with regular fuel litres through Z’s award-winning Sharetank in Z App – a feature that enables Z Electric customers to take advantage of their fuel litres themselves or choose to share them with friends and family.”

The campaign introduces Z Electric as “where your kettle fuels your car, your vacuum fuels your van and your mower fuels your moped”.

With no fixed term contracts, no caps on fuel spend, and no exit fees, the new electricity campaign created by Chemistry and the Futures Team at Z Energy rewards customers with five litres of fuel for every $100 they spend on power and a bonus 50L of fuel on sign-up, redeemable at any Z Energy forecourt.

Delivered in conjunction with Flick Energy, acquired by Z Energy in 2018, Z Electric was born out of a desire to reward loyal customers, not just the newbies who switch power companies, Chemistry says.

“Our PowerFuel launch campaign is designed to showcase to New Zealanders that now they have a modern, refreshing, more rewarding, choice of electricity retailer,” Chemistry joint creative director Susan Young says.

Chemistry has worked with Z Energy since 2016 and the Z Energy operated brand Caltex since 2014.