A signalled investment plan to install 10,000 public EV chargers around the country by 2030 would be a hugely positive step towards getting more New Zealanders into EVs and hitting emissions reduction targets.

The Automobile Association believes the National Party’s just announced EV infrastructure policy would give people more confidence over time to buy and use EVs.

Simon Douglas, AA Chief Policy & Advocacy Officer, says New Zealand is approaching a turning point with EVs accounting for over 11% of light vehicles registered last quarter.

“We’re really happy to see more and more EVs on the roads, but the problem is our public charging infrastructure isn’t keeping up - there are over 80,000 EVs out there, but we’ve only about 400 charging sites for them to use.”

He says underinvestment in EV charging facilities has been on the AA’s radar for a while. It is included in the Association’s 2023 Election Calls – a call to action on eight transport issues that, if addressed, would bring greater efficiency, resilience, and choice to the way people get around.

“We are keen to see the Government working with the private sector to expand the charging network.

“There also needs to be a real emphasis on installing EV chargers out of cities and urban areas. ‘Range anxiety’ is still a big barrier to people buying EVs – there’s a perception that they might run out of juice on long-distance trips because of the lack of charging infrastructure.”