Christchurch, 1 March 2023 –
Christchurch’s Evnex is heading across the Tasman as it
expands its charging network across Australasia and is
poised to make significant inroads into the Australian
market – focusing on homes with EVs and solar power
systems.
Evnex
makes EV chargers that use smart technology to enable
drivers to choose the best time for their EV to charge
without having to remember to plug in at that time. It aims
to reduce pressure on electricity grid infrastructure, help
EV owners utilise cheaper electricity rates, and employ
renewable energy like home solar. It has encouraged and
promoted the use of smart charging technology since its
inception in 2014 and advocates for smart charging
regulation.
It facilitates a rapidly growing network
of over 2,500 chargers in New Zealand, and the company is
already installing its smart chargers in homes across
Australia. Founder Ed Harvey says the Australian market
differs from New Zealand in that nearly
a third of households across the Tasman have solar,
which makes smart charging even more attractive.
“Evnex
can help people take advantage of solar, harnessing locally
generated power to charge their EVs cost effectively while
also prioritising the environment. Instead of returning
excess energy generated back to the grid, people can choose
to divert it to charge their EV from 100 percent renewable
energy,” he says.
“New research by the Electric
Vehicle Council has revealed Australia is tracking towards
the milestone of 100,000 electric vehicles, with over 83,000
already on the road, compared with just 44,000 at the
beginning of 2022. The Council also reported in their latest
survey of Tesla Owners that around half of said
they used home solar to charge their car so there is a
significant market to be explored”.
The increase
reinforces the importance of smart charging, Harvey says, as
without it, there is a risk that rapid EV growth needlessly
increases demand on non-renewable energy
sources.
“The vehicles may not generate emissions,
but without smart charging awareness, the power used to
charge those vehicle may be doing so. The Electric Vehicle
Council says a near-fully zero-emission fleet will be needed
by 2050 to meet national emissions targets, but considering
how those vehicles are charged, and what this will do to
Australia’s grid infrastructure is vital”.
Evnex
has currently installed residential chargers in Victoria,
South Australia, Western Australia, New South Wales and
Queensland, with demand growing. They’re also building
their team on the ground to provide the same level of local
support to Australian customers as in New Zealand. The
business is also fielding commercial interest after
successfully powering multiple business fleets in NZ,
including government organisations such as Northland
District Health Board.
Harvey says futureproofing EV
charging is a pressing issue in Australia as well as in New
Zealand.
“We’ve seen EV demand grow quickly this
year. In the future, these vehicles will impact electricity
industries in a number of ways, requiring new innovations in
technology and regulation.
“The decisions we make
now will help ensure that the right infrastructure is in
place to reduce the peaks in charging demand and minimise
future network reinforcement costs, whether that’s in NZ,
Australia or beyond,” he says.
Evnex has also
recently introduced its Electricity Pricing tool, designed
to make it as simple as possible for EV owners to manage and
track charging costs and gain an accurate picture of in-home
charging expenses.
About Evnex:
Evnex is a
leading New Zealand manufacturer and installer of smart
electric vehicle chargers. It facilitates the largest
network of smart chargers in New Zealand (2,500 and
growing), helping ensure EVs are charged fast, safely, and
with the lowest carbon emissions. It is working to reduce
the carbon footprint of NZ’s growing EV fleet and help
ensure it’s charged efficiently from renewable clean
energy – future-proofing Aotearoa’s charging
infrastructure to meet EV demand. Founded in Christchurch,
Evnex chargers are NZ-made and manufactured and use Kiwi
ingenuity to provide smart charging to the fast-growing
number of EV owners in New Zealand. Find out more at Evnex Smart EV
Chargers.