Several NZ retailers now offer free or near-free overnight power windows aimed at EV and hot-water heating:
- Electric Kiwi — 1 free hour every day (any time)
- Contact Good Nights — 3 hours free overnight
- Ecotricity EV Anytime — discounted overnight rate
- Octopus Energy NZ — variable spot rates, often near zero overnight
To use these you need smart charging — a charger that can be scheduled to only run during cheap windows. Most modern chargers (Wallbox, Zappi, Tesla, Smappee, EO) handle this from an app.
The maths for an EV doing 15,000 km/yr
- Charged on a flat day rate ($0.39/kWh): ~$1,170/yr
- Charged overnight on EV plan ($0.13/kWh): ~$390/yr
- Annual saving: ~$780
Always switch retailer plan first, install the smart charger second. Otherwise you'll end up on the wrong tariff and the smart features go to waste.