With fuel prices climbing again and New Zealand’s exposure to overseas energy markets laid bare this year, Equity Solar Brokers is encouraging households to review their energy costs, and in particular to look at how rooftop solar and an electric or plug-in hybrid vehicle could work together to reduce their weekly spend.
An island nation at the end of a very long supply chain
Since Marsden Point closed, New Zealand has operated a 100% import model for refined petroleum. Four out of every five litres imported come from either South Korea or Singapore, and those refineries rely heavily on Middle Eastern crude. As a result, about 60% of the fuel in New Zealand originally transited the Strait of Hormuz, the waterway at the centre of this year’s conflict, which the International Energy Agency has described as causing the largest supply disruption in the history of the global oil market.
The costs have reached New Zealand households. MBIE reports that in the June quarter, petrol prices rose by about 22 to 23 per cent over the year, while diesel prices increased 69 per cent. As of this week, the national average for 91 sits at $3.188 a litre, up 23.3 cents in 28 days.
The problem goes beyond oil. Natural gas supply fell to 103 PJ, the lowest on record, and indigenous production has more than halved in the last decade, returning to levels last seen in 1983. To keep the lights on in dry years, the country has turned to imported coal: Huntly Power Station, New Zealand’s only coal-fired plant, sources most of its coal from mines in Indonesia. The Government’s answer is imported LNG, with a terminal projected to begin operations in 2028.
From the pump to your doorstep
Fuel costs are part of the price of almost everything, not just a car-owner’s expense. Diesel moves groceries, freight and farm inputs, and delivery drivers pay for their own fuel. In March, DiDi became the first rideshare company in New Zealand to introduce a passenger surcharge amid soaring fuel prices, while Uber said it recognised the price increases were affecting driver partners and delivery people who use the Uber and Uber Eats app to earn. When drivers’ fuel costs rise, delivery fees, courier charges and the price of your weekly shop tend to rise too.
The good news: our electricity is largely home-grown
Electricity is the exception to this dependence on imports. In the March 2026 quarter, renewables accounted for 94.5% of total generation, and solar generation reached a record 373 GWh, up 50.2%. Moving a family’s transport from imported petrol to locally generated electricity, and ideally to power produced on their own roof, is one of the most direct ways to protect a household budget from the next global shock.
“Every litre of petrol you buy in New Zealand has come from overseas, and this year has shown how quickly that can hurt,” said Rowan Ellis, Founder and Lead Solar Broker at Equity Solar Brokers. “Most families have never compared what their car actually costs them to run against an EV or plug-in hybrid. With Christmas travel coming up, now is a good time to do that comparison.”
Running the numbers before Christmas
Road user charges do reduce the gap. Under NZTA rates, battery EVs pay $76 per 1,000 km and plug-in hybrids $38 per 1,000 km. Even so, the difference is large. As an illustration, a petrol car using 8L/100km over 15,000km a year burns about $3,800 of fuel at current prices. An EV covering the same distance on grid power costs roughly $1,900 including RUC, and less again when charged from solar.
Solar plus EV: the payback accelerator
This is where rooftop solar comes in. With retail electricity at 28–38 cents per kWh and export (buy-back) rates often around 8–18 cents, every kWh of solar a household consumes is worth two to four times more than every kWh it exports. An EV parked at home during the day works as a large battery for surplus solar.
Instead of selling that power back to the grid for around 14 cents, the household charges their EV, where 15kWh takes them about 100km in their car. Instead of spending $40 per 100km in a petrol vehicle, an EV only consumed about $5 of electricity and $7.60 of RUCs. But with solar, the $5 of electricity can be provided by your solar panels.
“Charging an EV from your panels changes how quickly solar pays for itself,” said Ellis. “Typical solar system payback is around seven to nine years. Where a household uses its solar to charge a car, we’re seeing modelled payback come down to four or five years once the fuel savings are considered. And of course, EVs aren’t cheap, but every few years you need to invest in a new vehicle, and currently EVs are looking like the best option for most homes”
Equity Solar Brokers is an independent solar brokerage. It designs a system around each household’s needs, including future EV charging, then obtains three comparable quotes from vetted installers, free of charge and without being tied to any brand or product. Households can start with the free solar calculator at equitysolar.co.nz.
Media Release on 22 September 2026
Media Contact
Rowan Ellis, Equity Solar Brokers
Phone: 022 4978343
Website: https://www.equitysolar.co.nz/