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Imported Motor Vehicle Industry Association - Latest News [Page 1]
A new industry report investigates concerns around battery end-of-life management in Aotearoa. It finds that while a growing number of businesses are repurposing and recycling EV batteries, they are doing so without formal safety standards, oversight, ... More >>
EV Battery Fires Expose New Zealand Regulatory Gap
Tuesday, 27 May 2025, 10:19 am | Imported Motor Vehicle Industry Association
In the wake of the Wairau Valley blaze — where lithium batteries may have contributed to the scale of destruction — the Imported Motor Vehicle Industry Association (VIA) is renewing its call for national standards governing the reuse and recycling of ... More >>
Government punctures tyre solution.
Tuesday, 2 June 2015, 3:32 pm | Imported Motor Vehicle Industry Association
Government punctures tyre solution. The Imported Motor Vehicle Industry Association (IMVIA) is extremely disappointed by the announcement today that the government has decided to not proceed with the declaration of tyres as a Priority Product under ... More >>
Vehicle importers group welcomes new mandatory safety tech
Wednesday, 26 February 2014, 4:12 pm | Imported Motor Vehicle Industry Association
The peak body for New Zealand's used import industry – responsible for half of the vehicles currently entering the New Zealand fleet – has welcomed draft plans to make Electronic Stability Control mandatory for both new and used cars entering ... More >>
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The Spinoff
06-08-2025
- The Spinoff
How to charge an EV at home or on the road
Charging an EV is easy, but for many new users it won't be as familiar as pumping petrol. So how does it all work? Like any new technology, EVs come with their own learning curves, and charging is chief among them. Prospective owners may find themselves asking questions like: Will I need a special charging port? Will charging on the road take hours? How much will it cost? Will my power bill go through the roof? Better NZ Trust aims to educate the public on EVs and promote their uptake. Chairperson and longtime EV enthusiast Kathryn Trounson spoke to Naomii Seah to answer some of the most common EV charging questions. Will my power bill skyrocket? Running an EV will result in a higher power bill, but the increase may not be as dramatic as you expect. And this cost will also be offset by savings at the pump. 'You will see an upturn in your power bill, but you're not going out and buying petrol. If it costs you 80 dollars to fill up, well you'd get a lot of mileage out of 80 bucks of electricity,' Trounson says. 'Filling up' an EV at home costs the equivalent of $1.60 per litre during off-peak hours. By comparison, the average price of Unleaded 91 is currently sitting around $2.50 per litre. What are 'off-peak' hours? Off-peak hours are times when electricity demand is low, like overnight when most people are sleeping. Time of use power plans, which adjust the cost of electricity based on the time of day, can be particularly good for EV drivers. Genesis has a plan specifically for EV owners that offers time-of-use benefits. With Genesis's EV plan, you save 50% on variable electricity rates from 9pm to 7am every day.* So how do EV drivers charge at home? 'We've been charging our cars in the garage for 10 years, and we just use the standard three-pin plug,' says Trounson. Three-pin domestic chargers are usually included when you buy an EV and don't require any fancy equipment, just a standard household socket. An electrician can install an outside power point if you don't already have one, as extension cords should never be used to charge an EV. How long does charging take? Most EV owners charge overnight, says Trounson. While you probably won't get to 100 percent (nor would you want to, for battery health reasons) an overnight charge is usually more than enough, as most people drive less than 30km a day. For those who use their car often, a faster at-home option is a wall-mounted charging unit. These charge at around twice the rate of a standard plug, so are a good option if you can only charge for a few hours between uses. Some wall-mounted chargers have smart features. They can be programmed to charge at off-peak times, set to stop at a specific charging level and connect to your phone. It's a good idea to consult an electrician on this though as it may require work on your wiring. Where can I charge on the road? 'We have 1,400 or so charging places up and down the country. Their speed varies… for some of the higher spec cars, you might only sit charging for 10 minutes,' Trounson says. Public chargers are available at malls, gyms and supermarkets and at least every 75km on most of our state highways. In addition to fast-chargers, some public stations offer a slower, cheaper (sometimes free) charge, but you might need to bring your own cable. Fast chargers vary in speed. Slower ones can add 50km to your car's battery in under half an hour. Faster ones can add 400km in under 15 minutes. Trounson generally finds she has enough time for a bathroom break or a coffee run while charging, but that's it. One thing to note is that charging speeds are limited by an EV model's internal capacity. Plugging an older model into an ultra-fast charger won't shorten charging times. How do I charge on-the-go? ChargeNet is the major supplier of our public charging stations with over 400 sites. You just have to set up an account to use them. Sessions can be started through the ChargeNet app, or through a key fob. The fob links to your account, and you just scan it to start and stop sessions. 'I find that the app is fine and dandy if you're travelling in places with good reception… I choose to use my tag because it's almost simpler, but some people prefer everything listed on their phone,' Trounson says. How much does on-road charging cost? ChargeNet estimates the average rapid or hyper-rapid charging session to cost between $5 and $15. With the Genesis EVerywhere plan, customers can charge their EV at ChargeNet stations at their home rates, saving up to 70%^ on fees. They can also pay for their ChargeNet sessions via their Genesis Energy bill. How do I plan for a long trip? Before taking a long trip, Trounson recommends doing a test run at a nearby public charging station first. 'It's like being taken to a petrol station by your parents when you first learn to drive. Someone explains to you how to lift the nozzle, and where the tank is. It's not that hard, you've just got to learn how to use it.' You'll also want to pre-plan your charging stops and ChargeNet has an in-app map of their locations. Once on the road, Trounson says the rule-of-thumb is to charge to 80% and then move on. Anymore, it costs you extra time and money for little benefit as the delivery of electricity tapers off dramatically. 'Imagine you're trying to fill a bucket with a firehose without spilling anything. You can be gung-ho until an inch from the top, and then you have to be very careful. It's the same principle.' Any charging etiquette to be aware of? It's mostly basic courtesy, says Trounson. The biggest faux pas is probably unplugging someone's car before it's done charging, or pressing the emergency stop button in the absence of an emergency. 'All EVs can use public chargers, but you have to observe the parking limits. Don't use a charging area just to park because it's easier. Monitor your charging session and return to your car when it's done – you don't want to be the one holding up a space someone needs. 'We just try and get people to understand that you have to be polite, and there's a queuing system if necessary. But that only usually comes into play during peak times like Christmas.'
The Spinoff
23-07-2025
- The Spinoff
A first timer's guide to buying an EV
With volatile fuel prices and worsening climate change, now could be the time to switch to an EV. But where to begin? Buying a car is a famously head-scratching experience, never mind buying an electric vehicle. There's so much to consider – upfront cost, fuel economy, safety rating, lifestyle needs and so on. With second-hand vehicles, that list gets even longer. Purchasing a vehicle requires not just money, but time to suss out the options and make the right decision. While zero emissions is a big EV drawcard, there are many other perks convincing people to make the switch. If you're interested in buying an EV though, where should you start? Kathryn Trounson is a longtime EV enthusiast and chairperson of Better NZ Trust, which aims to educate and promote EV uptake. She shared her top EV buying tips with The Spinoff. Understanding the running costs Running a regular car comes with familiar costs, petrol prices being one of the most important. Understanding how much an EV will cost you day-to-day though isn't immediately clear. Understanding charging options is key here. Most EV users can rely on the charger their car comes with, Trounson says. These plug into a normal household socket so there's no need for expensive installs or rewiring. Many people charge their EVs overnight this way. If you need a faster charge, wall chargers are available at varying prices. So how much will your power bill increase by? While electricity rates vary by region and time of day, Trounson says most people don't notice a huge increase. Any power bill increase is likely to be much less than accrued petrol saving, and there are special electricity plans on offer for EV owners. Genesis has an electricity plan to support future thinking Kiwi who invest in EVs. It offers discounted electricity rates, and a first-of-its-kind charging partnership with ChargeNet which allows customers to take their home charging rates on the road at any ChargeNet station. Genesis's Energy EV plan * gives customers 50% off their variable day electricity rate from 9pm to 7am, perfect for charging overnight. While the initial cost of an EV might be higher than a petrol car, Trounson says, the lifetime savings of an EV are worth it for many. If you really want to crunch the numbers, this calculator can help. Consider upfront cost Like any other vehicle, Trounson says, you need to consider lifestyle and upfront cost when choosing which car to buy. Petrol cars come in all shapes and sizes for a variety of needs, and ditto with EVs – there are even fully electric utes. Generally speaking though, a bigger battery means a bigger range but a bigger price tag. Luckily, Trounson says, EVs have gotten more affordable in the past few years, even before you take fuel and maintenance savings into account. More competition in the market and improvements in battery technology have pushed prices down. Brand new, fully electric models can now be found at comparable prices to new petrol cars. Don't skip second hand The second-hand EV market is growing, but buying one still requires the same caution you'd use when buying a used petrol car. A key thing to look at here is the car's remaining battery life, often reported as a state of health (SoH) percentage. This number, Trounson says, is often more important than mileage or number of previous owners. While EV batteries do degrade, the rate is slower than you might expect. Most degrade about 1.8 percent per year, and should retain 64 percent of their range after 20 years, although battery health can be affected by factors such as storage conditions and driving style. Trounson recommends sticking to reputable, knowledgeable dealers for used EVs. Helpfully, she notes, cars less than eight years old often have a transferable battery warranty. Be realistic about range How do you choose the right EV for your lifestyle? Lots of people get stuck on range, Trounson says, the distance you can drive on a full charge. Many people find the concept of 'range' to be unfamiliar and offputting. 'An EV tells you in kilometres how far you can go, and you see that number change. When you turn the air conditioning on, or if you were driving into rain, that would reduce the range. But that would reduce the range in an internal combustion car too – it's just that you don't see it. Like anything, it just takes getting used to.' As with petrol cars, terrain, weather conditions and driving style can all affect the range of an EV. But EVs can actually recover some range thanks to features like regenerative charging, where some charge is recovered as the car goes downhill. The right model and associated driving range therefore depends on someone's individual needs, says Trounson, though you might find you need less range than you think. According to the Ministry of Transport, most people drive less than 30 kilometres a day. That figure is based on data from 2014, so our national average may have changed since then. Still, Trounson says that most EVs can handle the short, frequent daily trips that characterise most urban driving patterns. The cheapest available EV, an older, second-hand Nissan Leaf, might only have 50km of range – but that might perfectly suit a student, older person or someone who works from home. Don't forget weekends away Once you've got your head around costs, range and charging you might start to think further afield. Will switching to an EV make road trips trickier? Trounson points out that even lower range EVs can be taken on a weekend trip. Just a few years ago, she says, the New Zealand charging network was still 'in its infancy'. But that's changed drastically. A quick look on the Electric Vehicle Database (EVDB) shows EV charging is now widely available in Aotearoa, even in remote and wild places. It's not just the availability of charging stations that's improved, it's also the charging technology. Old public chargers were slow, which meant long stopovers. Now, most charging stations have fast-charging available getting you close to a full charge in 15 to 30 minutes. And how much does charging on the go cost? This varies but Genesis's EVerywhere plan * lets you take your home rates with you on the road at ChargeNet public charging stations. When to make the switch? Companies are investing heavily into the EV market and prices are likely to continue falling as batteries become better and cheaper. But that doesn't necessarily mean you should buy a new petrol vehicle in the meantime. 'The right time to buy an EV is when your current car is no longer suitable for your needs,' says Trounson. 'If you can afford to, you should buy an EV now. If you can't afford an EV, never buy a brand-new internal combustion engine car, because petrol will go up. 'Nobody who has an EV says they wish they hadn't bought it. Everyone says I wish I'd bought it earlier.'
NZ Herald
17-07-2025
- NZ Herald
Cut EV costs with smarter charging
When choosing an EV, some owners give little thought to how they'll charge it. But they should. A smarter charging setup can cut your cost per kilometre by up to 80% and help reshape Aotearoa New Zealand's energy landscape. That's according to Kirsten Corson, chair of EV advocacy organisation Drive Electric. Asked if she's an EV enthusiast, Corson laughs. 'Absolutely, and for good reason. There are significant benefits to travelling by EV, whether it's a car, ute, or even one of those city scooters,' she says. 'EVs aren't just about driving. They could also hold the key to reimagining how we power our lives.' With over 82,000 battery electric vehicles (BEVs) already on the road in Aotearoa New Zealand and 550,000 expected by 2030, the charging infrastructure needs to keep up – easing range anxiety, cutting costs, and improving energy efficiency. Energy companies like Genesis are introducing plans to encourage EV uptake. Genesis offers a plan designed specifically for EV owners, with half-price variable charging rates from 9pm to 7am. Genesis has also partnered with ChargeNet (in which it owns a stake) to launch a first-of-its-kind feature that lets you fast charge at ChargeNet stations across Aotearoa New Zealand for the same rate you pay at home. It's a simple, more flexible way to keep your EV ready for the road without blowing the budget. Aotearoa New Zealand's charging network still lags behind OECD standards. The Government targets 10,000 public chargers by 2030, but only 1200 have been co-funded by EECA since 2016, with 702 in place by 2022. Rural areas and holiday hotspots remain underserved, exacerbating range anxiety despite EV ranges now exceeding 400km, with solid-state batteries promising 800km by 2027. Despite challenges, public charging is expanding, led by ChargeNet's network of over 450 fast-charging points, which includes 300kW hyper-rapid chargers that add hundreds of kilometres of range in 15 minutes. EECA's roadmap targets fast chargers every 75km on state highways, but rural grid limitations require costly upgrades. 'The infrastructure is maturing, but it's uneven as you might expect,' Corson notes. 'Rural and high-traffic areas need priority.' An expanding public infrastructure is good news, but given that most car journeys are well under 50km, it's no surprise that most people charge at home. The standard 240V 10-amp plug socket is the basic option, with more than 60% of EV owners habitually hooking up to one. These 'Level 1' chargers add just 10–15km of range per hour. Dedicated in-home Level 2 wall chargers (7–22kW) deliver around 100km per hour; a 7kW charger can fully charge a 60kWh battery in 8.5 hours, compared to 25 hours via a standard socket. But Corson advocates for home smart chargers, which enhance nearly every aspect of EV ownership. Advantages include elevated efficiency with scheduled off-peak charges (9pm–7am), when power prices are at their lowest. Depending on the type of electricity plan you are on this can cut costs by up to 30%, translating to $3–$5 for 100km of range versus $15–$20 for petrol equivalents. 'Price signals are probably the best motivation for making the move to an EV because we all understand cost,' Corson says. Public charging sessions typically cost $10–$20 for 20–40kWh, adding 100–200km, with providers like Jolt offering the first 7kWh free. Tools like EVRoam, PlugShare and ChargeNet's apps provide real-time charger availability, while EECA's Public EV Charging Dashboard offers regional insights. Vehicle-to-grid (V2G) technology could revolutionise Aotearoa's energy system, with EVs storing power during low-demand periods and returning it during peaks. 'The idea is to charge your EV when power is cheap and abundant in times of low demand, then when power is expensive at peak times, you sell that power back into the grid at a higher price,' Corson explains. 'But the key here is a smart charger.' Trials by Evnex and Thundergrid show EVs storing solar or off-peak hydro energy, saving owners 10–20% on bills while reducing grid strain. Genesis Energy highlights that smart chargers optimise grid-friendly charging, but regulatory clarity and grid upgrades are needed. 'EVs could be a game-changer,' Corson says. 'Your car becomes a power bank, supporting the grid while parked 90% of the time.' By 2030, V2G could support the 47% of light vehicle kilometres travelled by EVs, reducing reliance on fossil fuel back-ups. Charging hubs, like Tauriko's planned solar-panelled site in Tauranga, further integrate renewables. However, Corson warns that fragmented regulations across 29 electricity distribution businesses hinder progress. The Electricity Authority's consultations on rewarding stored energy supply signal hope, but bold action is needed. Around 60% of public charging occurs at destination chargers (malls, workplaces), with 40% at high-speed DC stations. ChargeNet plans 34 chargers at 20 new sites in 2025, but rural gaps persist. Corson calls for streamlined regulations and transparency in funding to spur private investment, citing Canada's $1 billion annual investment in public charging as a benchmark. With smart chargers, hyper-rapid stations and V2G potential, Aotearoa's charging infrastructure is evolving beyond the 240V socket. As EVs are expected to dominate vehicle imports by 2030, strategic investments could see electrification of the fleet powering not just roads but the nation's energy future. 'It's a bit like the 1920s, maybe, when liquid fuel infrastructure didn't exist,' notes Corson. But the similarities end there, because, 'We do have major differences and advantages today, including home charging and steadily improving public infrastructure, as more people realise how primitive petrol power feels when they first drive an EV.'
