More than 2500 new electric vehicle (EV) chargers are on the way to New Zealand, funded partly through interest-free Government loans for two companies.
Transport Minister Chris Bishop and Energy and Climate Change Minister Simon Watts announced this morning that the $52.7 million zero-interest loans would go to ChargeNet and Meridian Energy, who are co-investing a combined $60m in capital.
The two companies were selected through a contestable, value-for-money bid process.
"The private sector is reluctant to invest in charging infrastructure until there's sufficient demand, but demand won't grow until the lack of public chargers stops putting buyers off," Bishop said.
The 2574 new charge points include 1374 DC fast chargers and 1200 AC chargers.
DC fast chargers deliver power directly to the battery and can charge a car in 20 to 60 minutes, making them suited to highways and destinations where people stop briefly.
AC chargers are slower and better suited to places where cars are parked for longer periods, like shopping centres, workplaces, and residential areas.
"About half the new chargers will be spread across Auckland, Hamilton, Tauranga, the Wellington region, Christchurch, and Dunedin, with the other half throughout the regions, so drivers outside the main centres will benefit too," Bishop said.
He said "New Zealand currently has a bit over 1800 public charge points, which is among the lowest charger-to-EV ratios in the OECD".
"Another 161 charge points are also in progress. Combined with the investment being announced today, the national total will be around 4550. The Government is working towards 10,000 charge points by 2030, roughly one for every 40 EVs."
Bishop said many Kiwis had thought about getting an EV, even before fuel challenges heightened by oil price rises related to global instability.
"In February 2026, EV sales were up 10.5% on the same month last year – and anecdotal evidence suggests even greater interest over the past couple of weeks as conflict in the Middle East has seen fuel prices increase," Bishop said.
He said lack of public chargers had been holding some people back from making the switch to an EV.
"Concessionary loans bring forward private investment in public EV charging infrastructure by lowering the cost of capital, while keeping the taxpayer's contribution to a minimum," Bishop said.
“In this case, the 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, roughly a quarter of what a direct grant would cost.
“A better charging network means more New Zealanders can take advantage of it, and that's good for household budgets and our emissions profile alike. EVs produce at least 60% fewer lifecycle emissions than petrol vehicles."
The morning's headlines in 90 seconds, including a dirtbiker caught on camera crashing into a car, and threats between the US and Iran escalate. (Source: 1News)
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