About the green paper
EECA sought feedback on ways to improve the energy performance of private electric vehicle (EV) chargers in August 2022.
With the number of EVs in New Zealand growing rapidly, we need to ensure we can meet the increased demand for electricity. We have a chance now, while electric cars make up around one percent of the fleet, to ensure people installing home EV chargers in the future choose devices that are efficient and smart.
This Green Paper sought views on ways to improve the energy performance of private electric vehicle (EV) chargers.
About efficient, smart chargers
Modern technology has the potential to improve energy outcomes in New Zealand. An increasing number of energy-using products are ‘smart’, or demand response capable – that is, they engage with the electricity system and respond to market signals by changing when and how they use electricity. For example, an EV driver may come home in the evening and plug their car in immediately, but as it’s peak demand time for electricity, a smart charger will delay charging the car until later, when demand is lower (and, potentially, off-peak pricing is available).
Smart and energy-efficient EV charging has great potential to reduce peak electricity demand in New Zealand. This is because we expect to see significant growth in electricity demand from EV charging, and most of the generation required to meet this growth in demand has not yet been installed. We stand the best chance of realising this potential if we start planning for an expected increase in EVs and EV chargers now when we can influence the types of devices installed.
Submissions on this document closed on 5 September 2022.
EECA provided advice to the Minister of Energy and Resources following the consultation period. You can read a summary of submissions, and the submissions themselves, in the documents below:
Download submissions summary [PDF, 315 KB]
If you have any queries, please contact star@eeca.govt.nz
Related work
Electric vehicle chargers for residential use
The Publicly Available Specification (PAS) for electric vehicle (EV) chargers for residential use is intended to respond to increasing uptake of EVs in New Zealand and a need to provide consumers with quality guidance on safe, efficient and smart home chargers.
Charging behaviour
EECA commissioned TRA to undertake a survey of EV owners charging behaviour. This survey received 941 responses and provides very useful insight into how EV owners currently approach EV charging, and what would improve the charging experience.