Fuel-providing service stations may have to eventually shift nearer grid electricity supply to cater for EVs.
That’s the message from Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority transport portfolio manager Richard Briggs to more than 250 delegates at the New Zealand Electro Mobility Summit in Manukau, Auckland, on August 11.
Answering a question, Briggs says service stations will have to adapt to the coming e-mobility era, possibly moving closer to power sources to service EVs and perhaps adding facilities and services while EV drivers wait for their vehicles to charge.
The summit heard that other e-mobility considerations include people leasing or subscribing to EV fleets, particularly in poorer socio-economic areas where households already struggle to pay transport costs. Such places could lease an EV so that maintenance, warrants, repairs and other costs are all taken care of cheaper than what many can now afford.
Transport minister Michael Wood was the first guest speaker to address the conference, doing so on-line.
Wood described the work underway and needed to get policies and incentives right for changing people’s transport behaviour and the switch to EVs and other modes like walking, cycling and public transport.
It’s not a case of just switching from fossil fuel vehicles to EVs, he explained.
Many other aspects have to be considered, such as reducing congestion, avoiding charger queuing, developing charging infrastructure and more.
Wood expects the Clean Car scheme – particularly the Clean Car Standard – to be fully implemented on time for January 1, 2023.
He also covered some automotive importers concerns about applying rebates or fees to some vehicles, adding the Government is working with industry and others to help overcome such issues, especially in the secondhand market.
Wood told the conference New Zealand is helping lead the way globally in the transition to e-mobility, including the freight sector, the country’s stand well received at the recent EVS35 global event in Oslo, Norway, which he attended.
