The network now spans over 500 charging points across the country and it has logged more than three million charging sessions since it was launched by Steve and Dee West in 2015 (they also imported the country’s first Tesla). CEO Danusia Wypch says the company is expecting strong year-on-year growth as the economics of EVs continues to improve.

Upfront costs of EVs continue to drop, proposed changes to the Road User Charges system mean that EVs will be the cheapest option per kilometre, and promising vehicle-to-grid technology means the big batteries in our cars could soon be another revenue stream and also play an important role in the energy system.

There is also growing interest among business fleets, commercial customers, and trades in EVs and there are now also more options than ever for fast charging, with a number of petrol stations adding it to their offering at main centres (while more fast charging options are positive, we also need more slower public charging options at places where cars are often parked for long periods as they don't require major network upgrades).

While policy changes have impacted demand in New Zealand, the long-term trend is clear, both here and around the world. ChargeNet research shows almost 25 per cent of Kiwis already own or are considering buying an EV in the next three years, so if you're EV curious, the best way to see what it's like - and to dispel some of the misperceptions - is to take one for a spin.

Just try not to have two pies every time you charge up.

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