Forums › Transport (cars, bikes and boats) › EV (electric vehicle) News and Discussion

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87 posts

Master Geek
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#3472861 23-Mar-2026 18:26

gzt: That's a perfect task for AI. My free mobile access and a quick prompt:

- D Fond Egg Box

I think the disease reference was in relation to the MG ZS EV ... ???? (rather tenuous, and perhaps I've missed something).

HarmLessSolutions

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#3472875 23-Mar-2026 19:05

kangaroo13:

gzt: That's a perfect task for AI. My free mobile access and a quick prompt:

- D Fond Egg Box

I think the disease reference was in relation to the MG ZS EV ... ???? (rather tenuous, and perhaps I've missed something).

I think it was more likely a reference to the Dongfeng Box's similarity to the infamous Hong Kong dong joke of many decades back.

https://www.harmlesssolutions.co.nz/

kangaroo13

87 posts

Master Geek
+1 received by user: 90

#3472877 23-Mar-2026 19:19

How does this compute?

govt-to-offer-interest-free-loans-for-new-ev-charge-points
Attitude towards public transport also pretty sad to hear - leaving it entirely to economics - i.e. you'll take public transport if you can no longer afford to drive ...

CokemonZ

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#3472879 23-Mar-2026 19:29

CokemonZ:

If anyone is looking for a deal: 2026 MG ZS EV ZSEV EV Excite 51kWh | Trade Me Motors

I have just put a deposit down - approx 4 - 6 weeks to delivery.

These demo units apparently landed in 2023, and haven't been used so get the full warranty from now.

The reviews are good, the price is excellent, and they have 10 white and 3 black left as of 9am this morning.

You are buying second hand ones at essentially this proce.

I umm and ahh'd about a 62kw leaf vs this, and basically new, with the LFP chemistry sold me.

All the black ones are sold now.

HarmLessSolutions

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#3472880 23-Mar-2026 19:37

kangaroo13:

How does this compute?

"More than 2500 new EV chargers to be rolled out in NZ"

https://www.1news.co.nz/2026/03/23/more-than-2500-new-ev-chargers-to-be-rolled-out-in-nz/

$112.7M CAPEX to build 2500 charge points, half of which are AC only.

That's $44K per charge point! Does it really cost that much to install an EV charger?

And - the government is doing this in the form of interest free loans with "... average loan per charge point is $20,000, but once repayments are factored in, the net cost to the Crown is around $10,000 per charger,"

How can loaning someone $20K end up costing you $10K? What is the duration of these loans? Or is the government being a bit creative how they present the numbers, and their othewise lacklustre support for EVs ( ... solar, wind, and anything renewable).

Saying that EV sales are up 10.5% vs the same month last year is disingenerous given the very low base, with the cancellation of the green car discount and introduction of road user charges for EVs having obliterated the market, which is slowly inching back ...

Watts also interviewed on radio:
https://www.rnz.co.nz/national/programmes/morningreport/audio/2019028061/govt-to-offer-interest-free-loans-for-new-ev-charge-points
Attitude towards public transport also pretty sad to hear - leaving it entirely to economics - i.e. you'll take public transport if you can no longer afford to drive ...

Our government have realised the error of dumping on EV ownership and now they're doing their best to dig their way out of the hole they've found themselves in. Election years bring out all sorts of promises and this is one of them. Whether it eventuates any more than their original 10,000 charger promise is pretty unlikely. These guys seem unable to strategise beyond 'next Tuesday' as their other policies clearly demonstrate.

Their ability to do basic maths is similarly challenged.

https://www.harmlesssolutions.co.nz/

gzt

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#3472883 23-Mar-2026 19:48

That's $44K per charge point! Does it really cost that much to install an EV charger?

Yeah probably. It partly depends how many vehicles are served. One charge location serves more than one vehicle. Two tends to be a minimum. Four is frequent. More are not uncommon with newer installations.

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gzt

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#3472884 23-Mar-2026 19:52

Personally it would be more valuable to me personally to have standard slow charging available nearly everywhere I park. For example work parking all day charging at 2.4kw would give me more than I need to get home and back, and is hella cheaper to install compared to fast charging. I would not even need to care about charging at home - perfect if like many if not most Aucklanders these days you're street parking at home and can't charge there.

But yeah, completely agree with filling in the gaps in the network, and there's no doubt increased availability will help drive adoption, even if that's just improving the psychological safety on the ahem holiday highways.

Scott3

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#3472886 23-Mar-2026 20:12

gzt:
That's $44K per charge point! Does it really cost that much to install an EV charger?

Yeah probably. It partly depends how many vehicles are served. One charge location serves more than one vehicle. Two tends to be a minimum. Four is frequent. More are not uncommon with newer installations.

I assume they are counting per charger, not per station.

Still, fast chargers are expensive. a 300 kW duel cord charger is in the ballpark of AUD 150,000 And you need to pay for install on top of that. (decent chance your grid connection won't be cheap either).

https://www.australianevs.com.au/product-tag/dc-charger/

kangaroo13

87 posts

Master Geek
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#3472888 23-Mar-2026 20:28

Scott3:

Still, fast chargers are expensive. a 300 kW duel cord charger is in the ballpark of AUD 150,000

Fair enough. Nevertheless, I think we'd be better served by 3-6x more charge points at 100kW or 50kW vs a few 300kW chargers scattered about, which currently, very few cars can use to full potential (and ever those that do, probably don't spend a high percentage of time pumping at maximum rate).

jarledb

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#3472899 23-Mar-2026 21:39

I think National is still wrong to assume that more chargers = more EVs.

The companies running the chargers have to have customers. If there is not enough EVs on the road, there won't be a market for a lot of extra chargers.

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gzt

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#3472906 23-Mar-2026 22:07

EVs definitely have growth regardless of the current petrol price and there's no doubt extra chargers will be needed to support that. Also a quick google will find there are credible academic references indicating charging provision does drive adoption, to some extent.

While I'm not a terribly regular user of the holiday highways - increased charger provision will at least mean it is more likely I will consider using my non-premium shorter range EV for some of those journeys, which is definitely beneficial compared to my ICE alternative.

It is entirely possible at minimum the revived charger plan is recognition of need for a diverse resilient energy strategy for NZ and a recognition EV definitely has legs. Not a bad thing.

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kangaroo13

87 posts

Master Geek
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#3472907 23-Mar-2026 22:14

jarledb:

I think National is still wrong to assume that more chargers = more EVs.

The companies running the chargers have to have customers. If there is not enough EVs on the road, there won't be a market for a lot of extra chargers.

It's a chicken and egg problem. There's no doubt range anxiety is a barrier to EV uptake, particularly for those looking for the one car to do everything. I think the government investing in charging infrastructure is a good approach- given the economics for commercial operationg are currently marginal. But, doing it by only providing 'interest free loans', and then claiming they are investing $10K/charger by providing a $20K loan, seems like some form of creative accounting to make their contribution seem a whole log bigger than it really is.

As for barriers to getting more EVs on the road - the family who can charge from home and want a 2nd car as a city run-about or daily commuter are well catered for. For many others .... there are still too many compromises to having an EV as a single-car solution. Charging infrastructure i think is an important part of the answer. Range and cost are two other important factors. Plus - if you want something other than a little run-about, sedan or SUV. Like a wagon, for example. Zip choice there.

gzt

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#3472908 23-Mar-2026 22:17

jarledb: The companies running the chargers have to have customers. If there is not enough EVs on the road, there won't be a market for a lot of extra chargers.

The charger operators have their own methods to estimate return on investment and user growth. I'd leave that to them in most cases. To an extent, there is a risk companies will 'over install' and compete on availability only in high profit locations. I'd want to know that is at least balanced by increasing service from zero to one elsewhere. That could be something to look at to ensure it genuinely increases availability. I'm not familiar with the detail.

Edit: Embryonic support for EV trucking might be another good thing if that's a byproduct but it's probably more specialist and a different market so forget I mentioned it ; ).

gzt

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#3472910 23-Mar-2026 22:20

kangaroo13: Plus - if you want something other than a little run-about, sedan or SUV. Like a wagon, for example. Zip choice there.

It's not entirely zero for EV. Ie; not entirely dissimilar to the current ICE market in that form factor.

kangaroo13

87 posts

Master Geek
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#3472911 23-Mar-2026 22:49

gzt:
kangaroo13: Plus - if you want something other than a little run-about, sedan or SUV. Like a wagon, for example. Zip choice there.

It's not entirely zero for EV. Ie; not entirely dissimilar to the current ICE market in that form factor.

Name me an EV wagon for sale in NZ. Not a 'shooting brake' styling exercise, but a proper wagon.

Overseas, there is the Pug 308 / Astra. But, not sold in NZ. Also compromised by being based upon an ICE platform.

The MG5 wagon - also unavailable in NZ. And shocking crash test rating.

VW ID.7, not yet availalble here. There were rumours of a Skoda Octavia like wagon, but it sounds like that's been pushed back a few years.

Nio ET5 - the brand is not yet launched here (not sure if the ET5 wagon is built in RHD anywhere as yet).

OK - so Audi A6 e-tron and BMW i5 Touring. Eye-wateringly expensive (double my budget, plus some!), and way, way more car than most of us need.

Granted ICE are wagons are a dying breed also, but there are still a few out there. I think you can still buy new Skoda Octavia & Superb wagons, Subaru WRX (Levorg), Corolla, and going upmarket some Audi and BMW "estates". Unfortunately, I hear that Subaru are moving Outback across to an SUV form factor, and the good old Liberty/Legacy wagon is long dead, as are the Mazda 6 and Ford Mondeo wagons.

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