Actual-Life Tales of Driving an EV in New Zealand

By Imran Last updated Apr 11, 2025

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It’s good to take a look round generally and see what is going on in different international locations. After reviewing the gross sales statistics offered by James at EVDB, I assumed to achieve out to New Zealand EV drivers and get their ideas on driving within the land of the lengthy white cloud. After a little bit hesitation, they graciously shared their tales with me.

One reader was a little bit cautious — some Fb teams have been infiltrated by journalists on the lookout for unfavourable tales to bash EVs. He requested if I owned an EV and was reassured by the group that I did and if I had a bias, it was undoubtedly professional EV. He was then blissful to assist, informing me that he has a 2017 Nissan Leaf. It pays to watch out on social media. One other was happy that I used to be reporting on developments in Australia and New Zealand. “Hey David, simply needed to say I take pleasure in your articles on Cleantechnica. Good to have a down below perspective.”

New Zealand imports numerous used Nissan Leafs, consequently numerous the feedback had been about these.

“Nissan Leafs had been a path blazer for positive. We’ve had ours for over 5 years now, nonetheless love driving it. And so they’re nonetheless standard as a procuring cart for a lot of. The EV market wouldn’t be the place it’s with out them, IMHO. There nonetheless may very well be a marketplace for low-cost battery pack replacements I reckon. Even when it’s a 24kWh pack that offers again the unique, new vary.”

“We imported a 24kw Nissan Leaf in 2012 with the assistance of a good friend, earlier than you could possibly purchase them right here, & earlier than there was any charging infrastructure – & drove it (sluggish charging) across the nation.”

“We had a leaf for six years however wanted to maintain an ICE car for towing our caravan. Final month we lastly changed the ICE with a used Polestar 2 – lengthy vary RWD. Yay! We will certainly recover from Lewis Cross with the caravan no drawback, assuming 1/2 vary when towing (Lewis cross is one among NZ’s routes with restricted cost choices). Not too long ago drove from Picton to Moeraki in a day with out caravan (620km). Went like a dream. Solely wanted to cost as soon as however did a few prime ups as a result of we had been stopping for refreshments/swapping drivers each two hours anyway. There was completely no drawback discovering fees (however was not a vacation time or weekend). I’m wanting ahead to hitching up the caravan quickly.

“And a historic perspective: Just a few years in the past, driving round New Zealand required detailed planning, heavy use of ABRP (A Higher Route Planner), and probability the charger was obtainable if you needed it. There have been heady tales of EV’s milking the vary to its absolute max, and getting the turtle bought a nod from fellow drivers. Quick ahead to now, it’s simply soar in and drive. The automobile goes additional than I bodily can drive whereas numerous companies are dumping good quantities of cash establishing chargers.

“Is it excellent? No. However it’s not shit by any stretch of the creativeness.”

“We toured the South Island from Auckland over the summer season holidays in our Mannequin Y. Three adults plus baggage. We coated over 4,000 kms together with lengthy drives equivalent to Nelson to Hokitika, Franz Josef to Wanaka, Queenstown to Lake Tekapo, Christchurch to Blenheim. Charging was a breeze utilizing Tesla, ChargeNet, Z and BP. Additionally charged at Airbnb and motels with prior approval. It was a beautiful journey. Spent $248 in charging. My son did the same on the identical time and spent over $1000 on diesel.”

“Round 10 years in the past I used to be offended that my Kiwisaver fund was being traded as a commodity and was ‘owned’ by one financial institution or insurance coverage firm after one other and my annual curiosity return was ****% so… I cashed in and put 8 photo voltaic panels on the roof. Then I had to purchase a battery storage as an excessive amount of energy was being wasted. Then I had to purchase 12 extra panels to fill the battery. Then I had to determine the best way to use extra energy…..EV time!

“In Feb 2020 my husband and I purchased our 2018 Hyundai Ioniq. A tremendous automobile! I nonetheless suppose they’re nice worth and economical. We would have liked to alter because it was too small and low to accommodate mobility challenges so needed to improve. Final yr we purchased a 2023 Mustang Mach E and like it. Folks cease and stare as we cruise previous and I can’t resist doing an eye fixed catching take off on the lights if I get an opportunity.

“The frunk/froot is my house. My husband can put his instruments and toys within the rear one.”

“First a part of our journey was to put in of 5 kw photo voltaic system 3 years in the past. We determined to not purchase a battery as we deliberate to purchase one with wheels and use the surplus photo voltaic to cost the eventual automobile. We splashed the money a yr later and purchased a Tesla Mannequin Y efficiency. We had a New Zealand made EVnex charger put in within the dwelling on the identical time.

“The Tesla has been a revelation. It effortlessly tows our 6 meter boat, completes all household duties effectively and goes just like the clappers on the odd hoon across the backroads.

“Utilizing extra photo voltaic for 75% of its charging wants it prices below $180 a yr to gas. On a highway journey we discover the supply of superchargers higher than we initially anticipated. The automobile has been completely dependable within the 2 years of possession. My solely criticism could be extreme cabin noise.

“Proudly owning an EV is a studying expertise. It takes time to get previous all of the unfavourable BS that does the rounds. The most important situation is getting your head round day by day vary, as a substitute of the fill her up and drain to empty as per ICE automobiles. We sometimes cost our automobile to 60% daily for native journeys. We wind this as much as 70% for a 200km day. We strive hold the battery in the course of its percentages to lengthen its life – NMC chemistry.

“I can’t see a motive to contemplate an ICE automobile sooner or later as a day by day driver until it competes with the EV. The ICE automobile must be…tailpipe emissions free, round 500 bhp; have the additional performance and storage of an EV; absolutely gas in a single day for below $200 each year; with a 8 yr drive prepare guarantee; and no scheduled service necessities.

“Simply not seeing that as a risk.”

“We’ve had just a few Hybrid automobiles over time. First Prius I purchased was in 2013. It was an excellent automobile, nice gas financial system and returned about 20km/l continuously. Then I purchased one other in 2019. Identical factor. Actually economical and was so pleased with the reliability & gas financial system.

“My associate and I purchased a home in 2023 and that’s the place the penny actually dropped. We had been on a mission to scale back prices and set ourselves up for future beneficial properties. We purchased a 2018 Hyundai Ioniq with nearly nothing on the odometer. I’ve been a ‘greenie’ nearly all my life. I grew up in South Africa the place my grandparents had photo voltaic again within the 80’s already. I’ve at all times been fascinated by photo voltaic panels, batteries, inverters – Expertise usually. South Africa’s energy points have pressured lots of people to put in photo voltaic at dwelling and at companies out of necessity.

“After we crunched the numbers on proudly owning and working an EV, we had been each a little bit shocked. Not solely would we save on the ‘gas’ powering the automobile, we might additionally be capable of soar onto an influence plan that would cut back our night time time tariff – saving us tons of of {Dollars} a yr. It ended up being so shut to interrupt even (the price of the mortgage vs. financial savings in gas and general energy invoice) that we determined to leap and purchase an EV. I’ve been following Youtubers like Robert Llewellyn from Absolutely Charged since I used to be a teen. I’ve been following EVs since Tesla began out in 2005/2006 with their Roadster. I take a look at drove the primary Leaf the second I had a possibility in 2012 on the Johannesburg Worldwide Motor Present. I’ve spent hours wanting into battery chemistries, SoH over time and so forth. and so forth. By the point we had been in a position to purchase an EV, I had a lot collected data that it was really easy determining what to go for and what to search for.

“The explanation for purchasing the Ioniq was the truth that they are typically dependable and hold their batteries very wholesome for very lengthy. The $23,000 price ticket additionally helped, let’s be trustworthy. Right here we might have a car that price much less to purchase than a Leaf, with a battery that was nonetheless at 100% SoH. Comparable Leafs (KM travelled and age) price one other $2-3k extra and the batteries had been already exhibiting degradation with whole SoH remaining between 80% – 88%. An actual no-brainer.

“After we purchased the Ioniq in July of 2023 and needed to drive as much as Auckland from Wellington to select it up (I say ‘had’, we might have loaded it onto a truck, however who doesn’t wish to drive a brand new automobile again dwelling??). I had no vary nervousness for a lot of the journey. The 200-ish-kilometers it might probably do on a cost didn’t section me. I knew from wanting on the ARBP (A Higher Route Planner) App that we might simply get to a charger if wanted. The one stretch of highway that basically made me panic was the Desert Street on the best way again down. We charged as much as 90% at Turangi and headed off. The steep inclines, the chilly (I believe it went right down to minus 2 levels at one stage) and using the heater, DRAINED that battery so shortly. The guess-o-meter was exhibiting 170-ish-kilometers of vary after charging at Turangi, the GPS was saying the subsequent charger was solely 65 km away.”

“‘That ought to go away us with lots to spare’ – I assumed….

“By the point we bought to Waiouru there was solely 40 km to left – yikes. The vary dropped fairly shortly. However all was good. We didn’t get stranded. Had a fast top-up in Waiouru and off we went once more.

“In January of this yr, we had a 5 kW photo voltaic system put in. 6.6 kW of Photo voltaic Panels, 5 kW Inverter and 6.4 kWh of battery storage. Now most of our charging is completed through the day as we don’t sometimes want to make use of the automobile to commute to work and again. We’ve seen an enormous drop in month-to-month energy payments. It’s been the most effective funding up to now. Our invoice in summer season went from roughly $200 a month to our energy firm owing us about $40.

“General our expertise has been nice. We love proudly owning an EV. We love having the ability to cost it off the solar (principally). It’s a nice car to drive, a lot of grunt. Actually dependable too. Guess-o-meter is fairly correct and generally you get extra out than what it estimates.

“New Zealand’s public charging infrastructure is sweet, all issues thought-about. Sure, we’d like extra chargers, sure they may price much less, however you CAN do an extended highway journey – even with a smaller battery and restricted vary.”