New Zealand ramps up EV charging network

The New Zealand Government is backing the rollout of more than 2,500 new public EV charge points with $52.7 million in zero-interest loans. The programme is supported by $60 million in co-investment from ChargeNet and Meridian Energy to accelerate infrastructure deployment and support EV uptake.

The rollout will deliver 2,574 new charge points, including 1,374 DC fast chargers and 1,200 AC chargers. DC systems are intended for high-turnover locations such as highways, offering charging times of 20 to 60 minutes, while AC units will be installed in locations suited to longer dwell times, including workplaces and residential areas.

The concessionary loans, administered via National Infrastructure Funding and Financing, cover up to 50 per cent of project capital costs and carry a maximum tenure of 13 years. The financing model is designed to accelerate private sector investment while limiting public expenditure.

Deployment will be split between urban and regional areas, with approximately half of the chargers located in major cities including Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch, and the remainder distributed nationwide.

New Zealand currently operates just over 1,800 public charge points, one of the lowest charger-to-EV ratios in the OECD. Including projects underway and the newly announced investment, the total network is expected to reach around 4,550 charge points. The Government has set a target of 10,000 public chargers by 2030.