About this EV charger guide

  • Who it’s for: New Zealand business owners thinking about buying an EV for their fleet, and providers of EV supply equipment or associated EV charging services.
  • How it helps: If you’re installing EV chargers for a fleet, workplace, public charging station or  commercial site, this guidance explains the types of charging infrastructure that suit New Zealand workplaces and commercial premises. It also covers how to optimise EV charging systems to ensure safe and efficient charging.

This best practice guide is a Publicly Available Specification (PAS) developed by Standards New Zealand, EECA, industry, and other experts. 

Why getting EV charging right matters 

EV charging infrastructure that follows industry best practice ensures safety, efficiency, and long-term value while supporting New Zealand’s transition to cleaner transport. The PAS highlights key reasons why careful selection and installation of EV chargers is essential. These include: 

  • Using a qualified electrician ensures compliance with New Zealand electrical safety standards, reducing fire and electrical risks.  
  • Smart chargers manage electricity grid demand, schedule charging for off-peak hours and integrate with solar to reduce costs. 
  • Choosing compatible chargers with smart connectivity ensures they can meet current and future needs without costly upgrades.  
  • Appropriate security measures are essential to ensure their functions are resilient to cyber threats.

Important features of a commercial EV charging setup  

As explained in the PAS, a well-designed commercial EV charging setup should: 

  • include load management capabilities to prevent overloading the site’s electrical capacity
  • support different vehicle types, payment systems and energy management platforms
  • enable demand flexibility to optimise energy use and reduce costs
  • align with the technical specifications in Section 3 of the PAS. 

Tips for getting the most from your EV charging setup: 

  • Plan for growth and scalability — consider potential upgrades or future expansion needs as EV adoption increases.  
  • Assess electrical capacity — understand your existing electrical infrastructure and whether upgrades are needed. 
  • Ensure a seamless user experience — EV charging should be convenient, easy to access, use, and pay for. 

Ready to get started?

If you own or manage a fleet of vehicles and don’t know where to start, the checklist in Appendix A of the PAS will help you to:

  • define your needs and determine site suitability
  • select appropriate charging equipment and optimise its performance.  

Download the PAS at no cost from the Standards New Zealand website.