Charging
Unless you’re craving a cold Fruju or a hot pie, you won’t need to visit any petrol stations while you’re driving a Zilch car, but you may need to fill up with some locally produced Aotearoa electricity.
Take a crash couse on charging up Zilch electric cars by reading through the following pro-tips…
How to charge Zilch cars: The basics
BMW I3
1. Turn the car off
Start/stop button on gear stick
2. Open charger flap
Press on flap to open
3. Plug in charging cable
4. Confirm charging
Charger port will illuminate blue
Hyundai IONIQ
1. Turn the car off
Button left of steering wheel
2. Open charger flap
Button on lower right of dash
3. Plug in charging cable
4. Confirm charging
Lights in windscreen will flash blue
Charging types
All Zilch cars have a Type 2 CCS adapters for Rapid (DC), Fast (AC) and Home (240v) charging.
HOME CHARGING (240v)
1.5kW - 12km’s/hr
Plug in to any regular wall socket
Charging cables are in the boot of all Zilch cars (about 3m long)
No extension cables allowed
Best for overnight charging
Fast Charging (ac)
22kW - 80km’s/hr
Usually free public charging locations
Private Zilch charging during bookings at Zilch hubs
Cable tethered to Zilch units
BYO cable at public locations (provided in the boot of most Zilch cars)
Rapid Charging (DC)
50kW - 300km’s/hr
Free & paid public charging locations
Cable tethered to charging unit
300km/hr charge time
Best for a quick top-up on the run
Charging times can vary depending on charging unit & vehicle.
Maximising range
Zilch BMW i3’s and Hyundai IONIQs can travel up to 200km on a full charge. The actual distance you’ll be able to travel on a a single charge depends on your driving style, load weight and power consumption from AC and heaters.
To get maximum range:
Keep use of AC to a minimum
Set regenerative braking to max
Switch driving style to Eco Mode
Don’t hoon or carry uncessary weight
ENERGY INFORMATION CAN BE FOUND THROUGH THE MULTIMEDIA SYSTEMS WITHIN ALL ZILCH CARS
Public charging stations
The interactive map below from PlugShare shows public charging stations around New Zealand where you can charge up your Zilch EV while you’re out and about.
Rapid Chargers
Most DC Fast Chargers around New Zealand are paid ChargeNet units. If you’re heading out of town, sign-up for a ChargeNet account before you leave.
Fast Chargers
Usually free, AC Chargers require bringing your own Type 2 charging cable. Make sure there’s one in the boot before you head away.