Electric vehicles must be sold with safe chargers

Before you buy an electric vehicle, make sure the charger is safe for New Zealand.

Electric Vehicles (EVs) are awesome. They’re cheap to run, great for the planet, and really fun to drive. Charging an EV at home is convenient and popular.

With more and more EVs on the road, it’s crucial that they’re sold with chargers safe for use in New Zealand.

Overseas charging plugs

Most EVs sold in New Zealand are imported from Japan. Japanese electricity has a different voltage. Many of these EVs come with original 200V Japanese chargers (EVSEs).

These chargers aren't made for our electrical system and shouldn't be used. The higher voltage can damage the charger and become a safety hazard.

Some sellers illegally modify Japanese chargers to fit New Zealand plugs. This is potentially dangerous.

If you suspect your charger has been modified, don’t use it. Have an electrician check it.

Review Worksafe NZ’s guide on safely charging your electric vehicle at home for more information.

Selling EVs and chargers

If you sell an EV and include a charger, it must be safe to use in New Zealand. Check Worksafe NZ’s guidelines for safe electric vehicle charging.

All EV chargers must comply with New Zealand safety standards, and in-trade suppliers should be able to produce a Supplier declaration of conformity (SDoc) to prove compliance on request.

Registered Motor Vehicle Traders (RMVTs) must make sure the chargers they sell are safe. They must follow the Electricity (Safety) Regulations 2010 and the Consumer Guarantees Act.

We take safety seriously. We will remove any listings with unsafe or unapproved chargers, or if sellers can't provide the required safety documents.

Image Creative Commons licence Noya Fields.

Author

Trust and Safety