Welcome to the Summer of Snacking!
We all know summer is a special time here in New Zealand – the feeling of sand between your toes, the layers of SPF50 sunscreen, ice cream melting down your fingers and, of course, a classic Kiwi road trip.
From top EV roadie and snack charging tips to EV etiquette, we’ve got you covered. Have a look at the resources below and download our app now to kick-start your holiday and charge your way through summer with ChargeNet.
Tips for your summer EV road trip
As Kiwi’s hit the highway for the holidays, we’re anticipating a busy time at ChargeNet stations all around New Zealand. The best way to manage this is through planning ahead, remembering to follow EV charging etiquette, having a plan B for where to charge, and making sure you’re fully charged before you depart on your trip.
Resources
We’re here to make charging easy and accessible for electric vehicle drivers. Here are a few resources designed to ensure that you’re able to get back on the road, as quickly as possible.
Announcing new charging progress features – December 2022 As we head into summer and road-tripping season, we’re pleased to announce improvements to the ChargeNet experience to help you manage your charging sessions and plan your journeys. We want our customers to have the best possible charging experience with ChargeNet. That includes introducing features that give drivers visibility of their charging […]
10 tips for your EV road trip Are you ready to hit the open road and embark on a classic Kiwi tradition? With its 93,000km of roads, New Zealand is a road-tripper’s paradise, and with an EV, you can experience the beauty of the country in a sustainable and eco-friendly way. In this article, we’ve compiled 10 tips to help […]
10 EV charging tips for new drivers Electric vehicles are becoming more and more popular every day, and for good reason. They are cost-effective to operate compared to petrol vehicles, they’re better for the environment, and they’re fun to drive. But if you’re new to driving an EV, there are a few things you should know to make the experience […]
EV Etiquette: the Do’s and Don’ts of EV charging As New Zealand’s electric fleet grows, our charging network will expand with it. Even so, you may have to wait at a charging station for your turn occasionally. Fortunately, those early adopters of electric vehicles put together a set of charging etiquette that helps prevent bad behaviour. These came about gradually […]
A Comprehensive Guide to Public EV Charging
You’ve been plugging in your mobile phone for years. It’s probably comforting to know that plugging in your electric vehicle (EV) is not much different. Charging your EV does come with a slight learning curve, though. So, to help alleviate any concerns, we’ve created a comprehensive guide to public EV charging to help you through the transition.
How to charge
While at first glance, a rapid charger might seem high-tech, rest assured they’re quite straightforward. You’ll find a few types of chargers across our network, but they all work similarly. If you need a hand learning the ropes, please visit our support area.
- Find a charging station
- Plug in your vehicle
- Start your session via the app, QR code or fob
- Monitor your charging session via the app
- Unplug and move your car as soon as you’re done to avoid overstaying fees
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, to use the ChargeNet network you will need to create an account. Creating a ChargeNet account is simple, free and takes just a few minutes. Once you’ve signed up, you’ll be able to access the rapid charging network instantly and enjoy easy billing and payment. To create your account, click the ‘Sign Up’ button.
Creating a ChargeNet account is simple, free and takes just a few minutes. Once you’ve signed up, you’ll be able to access the rapid charging network instantly and enjoy easy billing and payment. To create your account click the ‘Sign Up’ button. Next, enter your details and add your credit or debit card, and you’re ready to hit the road. Within your account, you can start a charging session, monitor your usage, and download your invoices.
We offer multiple ways to start a charging session. You can charge in one of the following ways:
Remotely via the app or start charge page:
You can activate a charging session using your smartphone via the app or going to charge.net.nz and clicking on start charge.
By RFID fob:
You can activate a charging session using the RFID fob linked to your account. Simply swipe or tap the RFID fob on the designated area on the charging station.
By SMS/text:
If your mobile number is registered to your account, you may also text the word CHARGE and the key number printed on each charger to 226. Once the charger is activated, the start button will light and you can charge as normal. NB: some of our older stations do not offer this option.
If you need additional support:
You can phone our 24/7 support line on 0800 224 274 and we can activate the charging station for you.
To start a charging session you will need to create a ChargeNet account (sign up here). Once you have created an account and loaded a debit or credit card you will be able to use the network. Your credit or debit card will be billed at the end of each charging session. At the start of each month, ChargeNet will email you a statement/invoice for your previous month’s charging. Please ensure that your email system will accept emails from noreply@charge.net.nz and your account has an up-to-date credit or debit card to ensure your account stays active.
The ChargeNet network is continually growing. For an up-to-date list of our chargers and their locations visit the ChargeNet map.
To use the ChargeNet stations, you just plug in, swipe your RFID Fob, or activate via the app, and press start. Please ensure that your EV is turned off as some will not initiate a charge while switched on.
If in doubt, the instructions are printed on the front panel of each of our chargers.
If a charging session has not started within 3 minutes, the charger will time out. If this happens, please return the charger to its cradle to reset the machine before starting the charging process again.
On stations that have the option of selecting a max charge (80% Max black button) these stations will default to a 80% charge as it is the quickest most efficient charge. If you wish to receive the max charge of 95%, please press the max button.
Please be courteous to other users by not parking at an EV charging station if you are not charging and by moving your vehicle once you are finished.
Prices are set at a charging station level. For a full list of current charging rates please refer to the Start Charge page at app.charge.net.nz or download the ChargeNet app.
At a ChargeNet DC rapid charger, you can usually expect to add about a 100 km range in 15 – 30 minutes. The two main variables* are: how many kW you want, and what type of connection your EV will use. You can stop a charge at any time if you need to get going. You can learn more about this subject here.
Yes! This is available to download for free from the iOS App Store or Google Play Store.
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