Cost to charge an electric car in New Zealand (2026)
As of August 6, 2026, charging an electric car at home in New Zealand costs about $5.33–$7.88 per 100 km ($0.34/kWh, including the ~12% AC charging loss) across the 23 electric models we price — versus about $20.79 of petrol for a typical 7 L/100 km car. Home charging only; every model below links to its full cost page.
Per 100 km at home — New Zealand
| Electric model | kWh/100km | Per 100 km at home |
|---|---|---|
| Tesla Model 3 RWD | 13.8 kWh/100km | $5.33 |
| BYD Atto 1 (Dolphin Surf) | 14 kWh/100km | $5.41 |
| Nissan Leaf (75kWh) | 14.2 kWh/100km | $5.49 |
| Hyundai Ioniq 6 (77kWh RWD) | 14.3 kWh/100km | $5.53 |
| MG4 (51kWh Excite) | 14.5 kWh/100km | $5.60 |
| Dongfeng Box | 14.7 kWh/100km | $5.68 |
| Hyundai Kona Electric (64kWh) | 14.7 kWh/100km | $5.68 |
| Polestar 2 Long Range Single Motor | 14.8 kWh/100km | $5.72 |
| Tesla Model Y RWD | 14.9 kWh/100km | $5.76 |
| Geely EX5 | 15 kWh/100km | $5.80 |
| Zeekr X (RWD) | 15 kWh/100km | $5.80 |
| GWM Ora 5 (Lux) | 15.5 kWh/100km | $5.99 |
| MG4 (64kWh Long Range) | 16 kWh/100km | $6.18 |
| BYD Atto 3 | 16 kWh/100km | $6.18 |
| Toyota bZ4X AWD | 16 kWh/100km | $6.18 |
| Mercedes-Benz EQA 250+ | 16.4 kWh/100km | $6.34 |
| BYD Atto 2 | 16.5 kWh/100km | $6.38 |
| BMW i4 eDrive40 | 16.5 kWh/100km | $6.38 |
| Audi Q4 45 e-tron | 16.5 kWh/100km | $6.38 |
| Leapmotor C10 | 16.7 kWh/100km | $6.45 |
| BMW iX1 xDrive30 | 17.1 kWh/100km | $6.61 |
| Kia EV5 Light (88kWh) | 18 kWh/100km | $6.95 |
| BYD Sealion 7 | 20.4 kWh/100km | $7.88 |
A typical 7 L/100 km petrol car: $20.79/100 km.
Home vs public charging in New Zealand — the 5 cheapest EVs to charge
Public and DC fast charging in New Zealand is billed per session by each network and varies widely, so we model it the way the kernel does on every cost page: 2.5× the home rate — about $0.85/kWh against $0.34/kWh at home. That is a planning estimate, not any network's tariff. Here is what it does to the 5 cheapest-to-charge models we price in New Zealand:
| Electric model | Per 100 km at home | Public (≈2.5× home) | Extra per year if all-public |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tesla Model 3 RWD | $5.33 | $13.33 | +$1,120 |
| BYD Atto 1 (Dolphin Surf) | $5.41 | $13.52 | +$1,136 |
| Nissan Leaf (75kWh) | $5.49 | $13.72 | +$1,152 |
| Hyundai Ioniq 6 (77kWh RWD) | $5.53 | $13.81 | +$1,160 |
| MG4 (51kWh Excite) | $5.60 | $14.01 | +$1,176 |
- Tesla Model 3 RWD is the cheapest EV to charge in New Zealand — $5.33 per 100 km at home — and at the public estimate ($13.33) it still beats the $20.79 of petrol a 7 L/100 km car burns over the same distance.
- A BYD Atto 1 (Dolphin Surf) draws 14 kWh per 100 km, so home charging runs $5.41; at the public estimate ($13.52) it still beats the $20.79 of petrol a 7 L/100 km car burns over the same distance.
- For the Nissan Leaf (75kWh), public-only charging would add about $1,152 a year at 14,000 km/year over charging at home ($5.49 vs $13.72 per 100 km); even then it stays under the $20.79 a 7 L/100 km petrol car needs.
- A Hyundai Ioniq 6 (77kWh RWD) draws 14.3 kWh per 100 km, so home charging runs $5.53; at the public estimate ($13.81) it still beats the $20.79 of petrol a 7 L/100 km car burns over the same distance.
- For the MG4 (51kWh Excite), public-only charging would add about $1,176 a year at 14,000 km/year over charging at home ($5.60 vs $14.01 per 100 km); even then it stays under the $20.79 a 7 L/100 km petrol car needs.
Even at the 2.5× public estimate, all 5 of these models still undercut the $20.79 of petrol a typical 7 L/100 km car burns per 100 km — in New Zealand the charging case survives without a driveway. Our 5-year totals on each model page assume 80% home / 20% public charging at this same multiple — these two columns are the ends of that range.