It’s a known fact that charging your EV is cheaper than paying for petrol. But thanks to companies like Jolt, it could get even cheaper. In fact, it could be free! Canstar goes through everything there is to know about Jolt electric chargers, including where to find them and how much you’ll have to pay.
What is Jolt?
Jolt is an Australian company aiming to fast-track the uptake of electric vehicles by providing a visible network of cheap and convenient public EV chargers.
What does Jolt offer?
That visible part is extremely important to Jolt. Currently, EV infrastructure is fairly hidden. Chargers are tucked away in designated charging stations, or they’re standalone chargers hidden behind council buildings or inside paid parking facilities.
Jolt wants to change that, offering 25W and 50W EV chargers in places we see and use every day. For example, the car park outside your local pool, hardware store or supermarket.
Essentially, Jolt is putting its charges in places where you don’t have to go out of your way to use them. You can do your grocery shopping and charge your electric vehicle at the same time.
Not only is that convenient, but it helps send the message to those hesitant about switching to an EV that the infrastructure is here and it’s convenient.
→Related article: EV Power Plans: The Best Power Plans for Electric Vehicles
Where can I find Jolt chargers?
Currently, only in one location!
At the time of writing, Jolt has just launched its first site, at Mire 10 in Ponsonby. However, the company has already stated there will be two more Auckland locations added before Christmas. From then on, Jolt intends to release one or two new locations every week for the foreseeable future, including Wellington and Christchurch locations coming in early 2023.
All in all, it hopes to have about 500 locations added over the next four years.
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How much does it cost?
The best thing about Jolt is… it’s free!
All Jolt chargers offer 7kW of free charge once a day. That’s enough free charge to add about 40km-50km of range in just 15-30 minutes! After that, it’s just 50c per kWh.
How can it be free?
Jolt covers those free 7kW of charge by adding a secondary revenue stream – advertising!
At Jolt charging locations, you’ll find standalone digital display screens set up roadside. These are used to display advertisements, much like you see when waiting at a bus shelter.
How does it work?
You’ll need to download the Jolt app. You can then scan a QR code at the charger to activate it and start charging. Or, you can browse ahead of time and reserve a charger!
What else is on offer?
Jolt is not the first company to roll out EV chargers in New Zealand. ChargeNet is already operating a widespread network, from the top of the North to the bottom of the South. ChargeNet offers a varied network of chargers, from AC chargers up to rapid chargers (all the way up to 300kW!)
Some of these AC chargers are even free!
→Related article: What Do You Need to Charge Your EV at Home?
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Having access to free chargers to top up while at the shops is a great initiative. But the reality is, the bulk of your charging will be done at home. And that means you’ll want a great electricity plan.
If you are looking to change electricity providers, or are unsure if you are getting the best deal, Canstar Blue can help. We rate NZ power companies for customer satisfaction and value for money, see the table below for some of the results, or you can click on the button below for the full results of our survey.
Canstar Blue’s latest review of NZ power companies compares them on customer satisfaction. The table below is an abridged version of our full results, available here.
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About the author of this page
This report was written by Canstar Content Producer, Andrew Broadley. Andrew is an experienced writer with a wide range of industry experience. Starting out, he cut his teeth working as a writer for print and online magazines, and he has worked in both journalism and editorial roles. His content has covered lifestyle and culture, marketing and, more recently, finance for Canstar.
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