Energy provider Mercury has launched several initiatives supporting people swapping to electric vehicles (EVs) from cars running on fossil fuels.
For example, residential customers who plug in their vehicle while they sleep every night are being offered a 20 per cent discount for two years on all electricity used between 9pm and 7am (some terms apply).
And, says Mercury CMO Julia Jack, the company has come up with a subscription service called Mercury Drive, allowing people to pay for an EV on a monthly basis (with costs like insurance premiums, maintenance etc. included). That way Kiwis can see first-hand how wonderful EVs are without any commitment or hassle.
“Transport produces nearly 50 per cent of our energy emissions and we see making changes by switching to electric transport as one of the biggest opportunities to cut down on emissions and reduce the use of fossil fuels,” she says.
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Mercury customers also have peace of mind, she says, with Mercury’s renewable power generation from hydro and geothermal sources. Next year, it will also be generating power from its new Manawatu wind farm, Turitea. Overall, New Zealand renewable electricity generation is over 80 per cent and Mercury’s 100 per cent renewable generation contributes to that.
“In Australia, when they use electricity to power their cars, perhaps 20 per cent comes from renewable sources and 80 per cent from fossil fuels – because coal is used to generate a lot of their electricity. Here, we have a massive opportunity to reduce our emissions because so much of our electricity is from renewable sources. It is really important to us that people understand this advantage New Zealand has.”
Jack says choosing to drive EVs not only has a big impact on the environment but can also save users a lot of money.
She says the EECA (Energy Efficiency & Conservation Authority) has calculated that the running cost of an EV is the equivalent of paying 30c for a litre of petrol (which currently sits at around $2) – a rate approximately 15 per cent of the cost of running an equivalent-sized petrol vehicle.
In one comparison, published on evdrive.co.nz, fuel and maintenance for a Nissan Leaf EV was $46 a month, as opposed to $411 for a similar-sized petrol vehicle, a difference of $365 a month.
“That’s a huge saving and even once you’ve factored in the cost of buying an EV, it can really make a big difference to people’s outgoings,” says Jack.
Plugging in an EV to charge won’t leave you with a significantly higher power bill either because they can be charged overnight using cheaper, off-peak electricity rates and by taking advantage of Mercury’s two-year 20 per cent EV Fuel Package discount (some terms apply).
Jack says the idea that setting up an EV charger in the home involves a lot of trouble and expense is a myth.
“Some people seem to be under the misconception that you have to have major infrastructure installed to charge an electric car,” she says. “But all you need is a standard power point and off-street parking and you are ready to go.”
Anyone who still has doubts about whether an EV is for them can try one out using the Mercury Drive subscription service. For a monthly fee, which includes insurance premiums and maintenance, you can drive around in an EV to see how you feel about using one.
“So far we’ve heard about a lot of people who, after trialling an EV, have gone out and bought one for themselves. It’s a particularly good thing to try if you are thinking about replacing your current car and aren’t sure if an EV is the best option,” says Jack.
Mercury has put its money where its mouth is and over recent years converted more than 70 per cent of its vehicle fleet to electric or plug-in hybrids. It’s also encouraging people to use e-bikes and e-scooters to get around where appropriate.
“Once people realise how easy it is to use transport powered by electricity I think we’re going to see a lot more EVs on our roads,” says Jack. “This is a great thing for the country and for people personally.”
This content has been created in partnership with Mercury.
