Z Energy electricity plan is boosting the EV experience.
Shaun Field may not be your typical electric vehicle owner. After all, among the family fleet is a diesel-burning motorhome and, for the weekends, a drop-top Porsche – but he is highly charged about the shift to EVs.
Literally. Field has plugged into Z Energy’s electricity plan because the primary cars for he and his wife are a fully electric BYD (for Shaun), while the better half has piloted a Nissan Leaf for the past six years.
“You couldn’t take the Leaf off my wife with a crowbar,” laughs Field. “Even though it’s older EV technology, it is totally fit for purpose and does her daily commute with plenty to spare.”
An early adopter of first hybrid and then fully electric vehicles, he explains the primary motivation was reducing the family fuel bill. The Leaf was something of a test balloon: “The expectation was basically around saving money and, yes, there was an element of going green.”
When expectation matched reality, the Fields decided to go a step further, introducing the new BYD for double savings on their commuter run. “You can see the pace of development in EVs, as the two cars are poles apart,” he says. “The Leaf is a bit dated, especially when stepping into a 2023 or 2024 model – and all the technology packed into the newer cars makes for an amazing experience.”
Getting into the EV lifestyle meant the Fields also looked for a home energy plan aligned to their commitment to electric travel. They settled on Z’s EV at Home electricity plan featuring a 3-hour free EV charging* window in the early hours, when electricity demand nationally is typically at its lowest. Using the companion app, and with trickle charging, this fuelled both the BYD and the Leaf batteries for the daily commute.
Then things took an unexpected turn for the better. Field entered a Z competition and came up the winner for an Evnex smart charger. “We’d been saving for one of these and when Z said we’d won, I was ecstatic,” he enthuses. “My research meant I knew they were good…but I had no idea just how good.”
A programmable smart charger can take advantage of different electricity prices through the day. In this case, the Evnex kicks in when those 3 hours free are available. That’s not all – plugging a car into a regular socket delivers a slow charge (Field describes it as the ‘granny charger’), while the Evnex delivers a faster energy boost.
“The device itself is neat and minimalistic – you wouldn’t even know it was there – and it gives my car a decent charge in those 3 hours. That means apart from road user charges, my travel miles are essentially free.”
Though he might be described as a petrolhead – that Porsche is in the garage for special occasions, and he works at an RV centre in Hamilton – Field says the move to electric is a simple no-brainer for economical transport. “As someone who loves a gadget, the features in new cars are pretty cool too.”
One of the big issues for those considering an EV is ‘range anxiety’. While Field is upfront that the ageing Leaf doesn’t offer much range and suffers in winter, it’s a different story with the newer car.
“We did a recent trip all the way up north. Using a route planner meant we could easily see where charging was available and, in a 7-hour trip, we charged once while having dinner. I also topped up 10 minutes before we got to the campsite, ‘just in case’, but it turns out a powered campsite is all you need.”
The net result, he says, was zero issues and a comfortable trip. “My app told me the total cost for the trip was $102. Try that in a petrol car.”
He acknowledges EV technology and infrastructure is still maturing. While sales have slowed as the cost-of-living crisis bites, and the subsidies have gone, he says there’s a simple test anyone interested in EVs should do. “Go drive one.”
The general impression, he says, is that even the most sceptical will realise that combustion engines are last century’s technology. “It’s mind-blowing, especially the silent acceleration and sheer power.”
New Zealand currently has around 73,000 fully electric vehicles out of a total light passenger fleet of around 4.5 million. Z CEO Lindis Jones says research suggests this will grow to about 10 per cent by 2030.
“There is always a lot of excitement about buying an EV but, when people get home they need a charging solution,” says Jones. “This is where things can often go awry – they don’t have the right voltage or power cords might not be suitable.”
As discovered by the Fields, an Evnex smart charger can be up four times faster than a three-pin plug. The smarts don’t stop there either: the charger actively monitors the home’s power usage and adjusts the charging rate to avoid overloading the home’s power supply when using other power-hungry appliances.
Jones echoes Field’s comments on maturity, noting that while Z is trying to make recharging easy for its customers, there’s much to discover. “The transition is going to take time, but, as more EVs hit the roads, we will get a better understanding of what customers want from us and the innovations needed.”
To find out more about Z’s electricity plans or sign up, visit: Power your home with Z Energy
*Z’s EV at Home plan includes free power between 3am and 6am and half price night rates between 9pm and 7am. The free hours or half-priced night rates are not applicable to any separately-priced control meter (such as hot water) but apply to all other power consumption. Daily charge still applies.