Changes to the ChargeNet pricing structure from 30 November

Since ChargeNet first began in 2015, we’ve continued our focus on building a nationwide network of EV charging infrastructure, and our customers now have more than 280 charge points to choose from across the country.

We’ve continued to invest in New Zealand’s electric future, and in the last seven years, we’ve delivered more than 1,100,000 public charging sessions – all while working to make our nationwide network ever more convenient, reliable, and user-friendly.

However during this time our tariffs and pricing structure haven’t kept pace with the rapidly changing EV market or our new service offerings. To address this we’ve introduced important changes to our pricing structure. We’re removing the per-minute rate and implementing a three-tiered tariff structure based primarily on charge point speed and energy consumption.

We believe the new pricing structure is easier to understand and fairer for all our customers, regardless of their charging habits and importantly brings New Zealand’s pricing in line with the rest of the world.

A reliable electric vehicle charging network is essential for large-scale EV adoption and so is a simple pricing tariff structure. At ChargeNet we believe that EV Drivers should only pay for what they use, and our newly introduced tariff reflects that ‘pay for what you use’ philosophy.

Why these changes now? We value you, our customers, and want you to have the best possible charging experience when you use our network. Providing transparency, equity and simplicity are a key part of achieving that.

Our new tariff structure will see slower-charging vehicles avoid paying higher costs resulting from their need for longer dwell times, while there would be an adjustment to tariffs for faster infrastructure – reflecting the larger investment required to install and maintain our charging hubs.

The new tariff structure will begin on Wednesday, 30 November 2022 and will provide a consistent cost – based on charging mode, regardless of what sort of EV our customers drive.

Existing pricing tariffs will be streamlined into three different pricing tariffs, based on location profile and charging mode:

	Pricing Tariff 1	Pricing Tariff 2	Pricing Tariff 3
	AC	Destination	En route
Typical charging profile	AC	25kW to 75kW per charging bay	Above 76kW per charging bay
New tariff	$0.40 / kWh	$0.80 / kWh	$0.85 / kWh

The new pricing tariffs fit into three categories: AC charging, Destination charging, and En route charging. The new tariff structure will see slower-charging vehicles avoid paying higher costs resulting from their need for longer dwell times, while there would be an adjustment to tariffs for faster infrastructure – reflecting the larger investment required to install and maintain it.

AC chargers – which are typically installed in areas where EVs will dwell for long periods, such as public carparks, workplaces, and streetside parking, would attract the lowest tariffs. Our tariffs in this category have not changed.

Destination chargers – such as those installed at supermarkets – attract a higher tariff, and 25kW, 50kW, and 75kW chargers are going to be consolidated under this category into one single tariff group. This will make it simple for customers to know what to expect when they use our chargers.

En route chargers – hyper-rapid charging points located on motorways, expressways, and highways – incur the highest tariff. We believe this presents a realistic sense of value to the customer, and they also better reflect the business’ operational costs.

The pricing changes will be introduced at all ChargeNet owned charge points and some of the independent charging sites within the ChargeNet network. To view the full list, please click here and please check the ChargeNet map for applicable tariffs.

Idle fees

In addition to the new tariffs, we will introduce idle fees on our rapid and hyper-rapid charge points over the coming months. An idle fee is a $1 per-minute charge if your EV remains connected to the charger five minutes after your charging session has ended.

This has been overwhelmingly supported by your feedback and a shared desire to get people moving once they have finished charging to reduce queueing and create a better experience for all drivers. To avoid idle fees, we recommend using the ChargeNet app so that you can monitor your session remotely.

In the years ahead we are committed to installing many more charging points across the country, including 50kW, 75kW, 150kW and 300kW rapid and hyper-rapid charging points, to support the country’s transition to a net zero emissions economy. Read more about these plans.

It was important to us to provide our customers with as much notice as possible regarding these changes. If you’d like to chat, please get in touch.

We appreciate your ongoing support.

Common Tariff and Pricing Structure Questions

Why is ChargeNet changing its pricing structure?

ChargeNet is committed to providing and maintaining a world-class EV charging network, to keep Aotearoa New Zealand charging into the future, and to supporting its transition to a net zero emissions economy.

ChargeNet is updating its pricing structure to be fairer and easier to understand for our customers across the country. We have spoken with our customers, who believe the current pricing structure can be confusing because it differs from site to site.

We want our prices to be transparent for our customers, and moving to a pricing structure based on charging speed is the best way to do this. It is also in line with what similar companies do overseas.

Is this just a way for ChargeNet to increase its prices?

The change is driven by our desire for simplicity and consistency across the ChargeNet network. While some of our customers may see an increase to their charge cost, early indications suggest that some of our customers may actually see a decrease. This is particularly true for chargers using low kilowatt chargers.

Will the price change occur at all ChargeNet charging points?

The pricing changes will be introduced at all ChargeNet owned charge points and some of the independent charging sites within the ChargeNet network. To view the full list, please click here.

Will it put EV charging on price parity with fossil fuels?

Charging your EV at a ChargeNet charging point will continue to be considerably cheaper than the cost of filling the tank of an ICE (internal combustion engine) vehicle.

Is this driven by increased charges by electricity suppliers?

We have no concerns about the cost of electricity. ChargeNet is updating its pricing structure to be simpler and easier to understand for our customers across the country.

Will ChargeNet introduce idle fees at more charging stations?

We expect idle fees to be rolled out across our rapid and hyper-rapid charge points over the coming months to ensure that more people have a chance to charge. What this means for drivers is that if your vehicle is not moved within five minutes of the completion of your charge, an idle fee of $1.00 per minute is applied if the vehicle remains connected to the charger for 5 minutes or more after a session has ended. Idle fees encourage drivers to move on as quickly as possible, thus reducing queueing and creating a better experience for all drivers. We recommend using the ChargeNet app, so you can monitor your session remotely.

Will you re-invest the increased revenue back into building your network?

Yes, ChargeNet has committed to installing an additional 400 charging points across the country, which will include 50kW, 75kW, 150kW and 300kW rapid and hyper-rapid charging points.

Additional charging points will be installed at locations throughout the country over the next three years, and are a key part of ChargeNet’s growth strategy. The charging points will provide Kiwi motorists with significantly more charging capacity and support the country’s transition to a net zero emissions economy.

Who owns the independent sites and will they adopt the new pricing structure?

Our independent sites are an important part of our network, but because we don’t own these sites, we can’t control what or how they charge. As such, it is up to the charger owners to decide whether they wish to use the same pricing structure as ChargeNet.