(Updated Dec 2023)
If you’re planning on buying an EV or plug-in hybrid anytime soon, it’s time to start making plans for how you’ll charge it. The growing availability of public charging stations along New Zealand’s roads is reassuring for long trips, but most day-to-day electric vehicle charging takes place in NZ homes.
Not only is your home the most convenient place to plug-in and recharge your electric vehicle, but with the right EV charging setup it’s also where you can maximise incentives like cheaper electricity rates and emission-free energy sources like solar power.
There are a lot of charging solutions out there, so to help you find the best EV charger for your situation, we’ll focus on answering key questions that EV owners we speak to find helpful.
1) EV charging speeds: How fast should your EV charger be?
When you think of fast charging, you’ll likely picture roadside charging networks like ChargeNet. While DC charge points are convenient to rapidly refill your car when on a road trip, they are much more costly than AC chargers to purchase and have installed by an electrician in your home. Such high charging speeds are unnecessary overnight if your EV is sitting idle for hours. *A 25kW DC charger will recover around 150km of range per hour of charging up to 80% battery capacity.
At the other end of the spectrum are portable AC car chargers also known as ‘trickle chargers’ or ‘granny chargers’ that plug into a standard wall outlet. Most new EVs will have one of these charging cables included like having a spare tire.
While an ideal charging option for emergencies or short-term use, their slow charging speeds are not ideal for vehicles with long-range batteries. Charging a vehicle like a Tesla Model Y to full this way could take several days. It’s a key reason EV drivers look to upgrade to a faster AC charging option to recover more range for their vehicle overnight. *A 1.8kW AC trickle charger will recover around 10km of range in one hour of charging.
Therefore, for the best EV charging speed at home, we encourage new EV owners to consider a wall-mounted AC charger that sits in the middle of this range of charging rates.
The power rating of these units can vary, but we recommend 7.4kW as the sweet spot capable of adding up to 40km of range per hour of charging (around 4x faster than the previously mentioned portable AC charger). In terms of range, that’s the equivalent of recovering a standard daily New Zealand commute (24-35km) within as little as one hour of charging. For EV drivers with electricity plans that offer recurring ‘free power hour(s)’, you could recover all that range every night without paying a cent.
There’s also added peace of mind for occasions when you return home with a very low battery. A 7.4kW EV charger can still refill all but the very largest EV battery packs overnight in one charging session.
When choosing a wall-mounted AC charger, check your vehicle’s onboard AC charging rate limitations. If this is lower than what a wall-mounted charger can provide, then you won’t be able to utilise the full charging speed it offers.
You can read more about various AC and DC charging speeds in our EV charging times guide.
2) EV charger reliability: How important is price vs quality of your home EV charger?
It’s frustrating to arrive at an EV charging station to discover it’s out of order, and even more so if your home charging equipment isn’t working properly when you wake up in the morning. Before buying the most affordable home charger on Amazon, it’s worth researching what local support is available for that EV charging unit.
With New Zealand being a small market on the global stage, many overseas manufacturers of EV chargers do not have a local support team. They instead rely on distributors or retailers to handle troubleshooting, service, or warranty claims. This can have mixed results when it comes to product knowledge, charging equipment parts access, and service quality. A home charger is an important daily-use piece of charging equipment that keeps your EV on the road. If you ever encounter problems, you’ll want to get answers ASAP.
Smart EV chargers that are connected to the internet are a great option when it comes to serviceability. Some units allow support technicians to remotely view charging logs, update your charger’s configuration, and apply software updates without requiring a costly, in-person service visit. Having multiple wireless communication options like cellular and Wi-Fi connectivity can also help you maintain a stronger connection to these cloud-based services if you’re in a remote area.
Ultimately the build and support quality for an EV charger will likely be reflected in its price, so the best EV charger for you is not necessary the cheapest option.
