New Zealand’s EV surge: JOLT signs up record drivers for urban charging network

As New Zealand reaches its fastest EV transition on record, new data shows Kiwi drivers are switching for good - and the window for brands to reach them is wide open.

JOLT, New Zealand's leading public EV fast-charging and digital out of home network, today announced its strongest month ever for new customer registrations, with sign-ups jumping more than 60% month-on-month in March 2026.

EV registrations in 2026 are running 96.4% ahead of the same period last year. In March alone, petrol rose 18.6% and diesel surged 42.6% – the largest monthly increase for both fuel types since Stats NZ began tracking in 2011. With the grid running on more than 80% renewable energy, EV owners now pay roughly three to five cents per kilometre compared to 15 to 20 cents for petrol.

JOLT chief executive Doug McNamee said the financial case no longer required incentives. "When petrol costs three to four times more per kilometre than an EV, and the grid is already over 80% renewable, the financial case doesn't need incentives. It just needs visibility."

The customers making the switch are not who the industry was targeting five years ago. More than half earn NZD 100,000 or more, 72% are aged 34 to 64, and 82% had researched their purchase online before visiting a dealership. "We've moved well past early adoption," McNamee said. "These are mainstream buyers making pragmatic decisions – and when they make the switch, they bring the rest of the household with them."