The top advantages of driving an EV

Electric cars are better for the environment vs petrol

Owning an electric vehicle is like giving our planet a high five. We reckon you’re well and truly entitled to feel proud about your purchase – because choosing electricity over petrol is simply the right thing to do by our environment. Fully electric cars generate zero exhaust emissions, meaning driving one doesn’t result in any nasties getting out into the atmosphere.

EVs cost less to run than ICE (Internal Combustion Engine) vehicles

You know when you’re filling your car up at the pump, and the dollar figure just won’t stop going up? Yeah, us too. However, charging an EV is equivalent to paying around 40 cents a litre for petrol. Not bad. They can be charged anywhere there’s a power point, and new EV charging stations are popping up all over the place.

If you want to charge your car at home, get yourself on our EV Plan and you’ll pay up to 50% less to charge your EV (and do anything else) from 9pm to 7am every day*.

Maintenance can be less frequent (and cheaper)

Another advantage of an EV is the maintenance. There’s a lot less to worry about (and pay for). No starter motor, exhausts or radiators here… take care of the brakes, tyres and suspension and you’ll be right as rain. As for the battery, most manufacturers offer warranties of around 10 years. Real-world testing is showing they last much longer than that, depending on usage and other factors like driving habits and environment.

*Terms and conditions apply.

Electric vehicles will only get more affordable

If you’re sold on an EV, but not so sold on the upfront cost, don’t worry – the second-hand market is growing. While they’re not yet as cheap as the banged-up hand-me-down you learned to drive in years ago, this one’s about playing the long game and saving over time.

Many Kiwi companies are buying EVs as their fleet vehicles and international markets are already ahead of us in electric car volumes. That’s good news. We can expect to see more and more accessible second-hand models available at car dealers and online marketplaces like TradeMe.

Electric cars drive like a dream

All over the world, people are confessing their love for the feeling of putting the pedal to the metal in an electric vehicle. Acceleration is quick and smooth since there aren’t any gears to worry about. As soon as you accelerate, you’re at full power. Plus, since the battery weighs a decent amount, the car has a low centre of gravity: nicer to handle, and less likely to roll. Top marks for safety.

And when it’s time to slow down, the electric motor can even be charged through a process known as regenerative braking, keeping you going for longer.

Ditch the petrol station

Charge overnight and wake up to a ‘full tank’. Every day. Simple as that, no last-minute stops to the petrol station. Now, that’s not to say there aren’t days where you’ll need to rely on public EV charging points – especially busy days of driving or a longer road trip. But even then, your options for chargers are growing rapidly, including Zero’s EV charging network.

There’s no better place to drive electric

Well, there might be, but we’re definitely up there! More than 80% of New Zealand’s electricity is generated from renewable sources (wind, water, sun and geothermal) – making our country a great place to charge up.

Converting to electric is one of the biggest ways that New Zealand can reduce our emissions and our reliance on fossil fuels, since transport makes up about 44% of New Zealand’s annual emissions.

Thanks to our relatively compact cities and driving distances, EV ownership is a very practical option for many of us. And for those parts of the country that do suffer from rush hour traffic jams – good news; you don’t waste energy sitting still in the commute like you would with petrol or diesel. Winning!

If you’ve got the lifestyle or job that demands long distance driving, you’ll want to do your homework on the best models for that use and become well acquainted with the charging networks at your disposal.

Ready to drive electric?

If you’re driving electric or your next purchase might be an EV, we reckon it makes sense to support a power company that generates energy from 100% renewable sources.

We’ve made it easy to do just that with our EV Plan* – designed just for EV drivers, with cheaper night rates for charging. We’ll also cover some of the cost of charging your EV, with a $200 bill credit*. Sound good?

*Terms and conditions and eligibility criteria apply.

Including 50% off our standard day rates from 9pm to 7am, and price certainty for two years.^

Find out more

*Ts&Cs, break fees and eligibility criteria apply. Credit valued at $35/month and only available on our EV Plan.


^Cheaper charging is calculated comparing the night vs day rates on Meridian’s EV plan. Savings vary by network.