Cost of TLC fast chargers remain below industry standard
18 March 2025
The Lines Company (TLC) is committed to providing affordable and efficient electric vehicle (EV) charging solutions on its network.
“Historically TLC had a per kWh charge and a per minute charge, but we are removing the per minute charge from 1 April and increasing the kWh charge,” said Kyle Barnes, TLC’s Future Energy General Manager. “Despite this change to our charging method, the per kWh tariff for our public EV chargers is 10 cents below the industry standard.”
Barnes explained that the current revenue barely covers costs, and vandalism of the units has further impacted the financial viability.
“TLC has charged the same since introducing EV charging stations in 2018 and while we are focused on providing this service going forward, we need to recover the significant investment made in these chargers over the past six years.”
In addition to the change in pricing method, we are also introducing an idle fee of $1 per minute on our fast-charging units.
“We are allowing a grace period of five minutes from when the car finishes charging before the idle fee begins,” Barnes noted. “An idle fee is standard in the industry to prevent people from using the fast chargers as free parking bays. This fee ensures that EV stations are available for other users once a vehicle is fully charged.”
TLC owns seven EV fast chargers across its network in Ōhakune, Ōtorohanga, Piopio, Waitomo, Whakamaru, and two in Taumarunui. Additionally, we have installed 20 free chargers in National Park (14) and Te Kūiti (six) as part of our community support programme. While these units are standard chargers, they are free to the public.
Six of our seven fast charges can charge an average vehicle in around 60 minutes. We’ve also got one super-fast charger in Taumarunui that delivers an impressive 150kW of power, allowing drivers to fully charge their vehicles within 15 to 30 minutes. Our charging stations are not only fast but also smart and efficient, featuring advanced charge and load management technology.
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