Installing rooftop solar at home as a way to boost EV uptake: A case study of Auckland

Abstract

Kiwis are likelier to buy electric vehicles (EVs) if they first install rooftop solar at home. So concludes a lateral-thinking case study of Auckland. To tackle New Zealand’s (NZ’s) low EV uptake – including hybrids, EVs make up just 1.2% of light vehicles despite a concerted policy push – the research team applied their expertise in space-and-time econometric methods. They matched official EV fleet data with figures for coverage of this sunny city’s 5600 km2 by photovoltaics (PV), the commonest form of solar, supplied confidentially by Auckland’s main electricity distributor. They then broke down that unique dataset into standardised micro areas for fine detail. They also factored in distance to the CBD, a popular destination. The results showed PV–EV complementarity and bore out predicted positive/negative links, lags and ripple effects.