The 'Electric Election': energy policies, side by side
For households, upgrading to an electric vehicle is likely to save you money over the long term (and the proposed RUCs scheme will make EVs even more economically appealing). It is also likely to have the biggest impact on your emissions. Similar benefits apply to businesses and it makes increasingly good sense as more electric machines become available and the upfront costs drop further. All these electric machines set to be put to use in New Zealand will increase demand for electricity and put pressure on our existing network. And that's where a company like Thundergrid comes in.
As CEO Johnny Parker says, it tests about 50 different brands of chargers - from AC chargers for fleet managers and employee home charging to DC chargers built for heavy transport - and helps design, install and monitor them.
Smart chargers are able to dial power use up or down automatically when required and some of the newer models can even recognise individual cars with a 'handshake', so there's no need for RFID fobs.
Chargers that can also send power from the car's big battery back to the home or the grid are becoming more widely available in New Zealand and more are on their way. There are no regulatory or system issues standing in the way of this; we just need all the manufacturers to allow that capability and when our cars can play a role in the energy system, that changes the calculations.
As Parker says: "People have got batteries in their home and batteries in their car and it creates a lot more stability out there."
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'Twas the night before Chris-mas, and all through the house, all the voters were stirring, the pundits showing their nous … the election will soon be over, but the energy crisis won't, so we'll be there to pester whoever is in power about the need to run more of the economy on New Zealand-made energy; can Ethiopia's aggressive push for EVs work and how does New Zealand compare in terms of adoption rates?; a two-way charging trial from Genesis shows promise in Auckland, but there's still a way to go before it's mainstream; small electric vehicles are often overlooked when it comes to electrifying transport, but it's hard to miss this weird French one; a solar-powered cafe (and some electric coffee); and we endorse the political vandalism of Keith of All Trades.
Read moreDownloadPoliticians are being urged to adopt stronger electric vehicle incentives ahead of the election. Climate and energy advocacy group Rewiring Aotearoa is arguing that EVs are one of the most effective long-term solutions for rising transport and energy costs. They're promoting an EV Salary Boost proposal, which would allow workers to access EVs through pre-tax salary arrangements – similarly to already existing schemes in the UK and Australia. Policy and Government Relations Spokesperson Ngaio Neumegen told Kerre Woodham that even with the rising cost of power, it's still cheaper to run an EV than a car running on imported fuel.
A proposal that would let New Zealanders lease an electric car using their before-tax pay has not won a commitment from either National or Labour, with the 7 November election days away. Under the EV Salary Boost, put forward by Rewiring Aotearoa and Drive Electric, an employee would lease a new or used EV for three to five years. The payments would come out of their pay before tax, lowering the cost of running the car. The idea is based on Australia’s novated leasing system, though the groups say they are not proposing a direct copy.
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