Z Energy Power Review - Prices, Discounts, Deals, Tariffs and Fees
Our comprehensive guide compares Z Energy's electricity plans and outlines their special features, pros and cons and must-know facts.
Updated 26 February 2025
Z Energy in a Nutshell
Our review: To help you understand how Z Energy works and the pros and cons of their plans, our guide covers:
Z Energy in a Nutshell
- Z Energy is a new challenger in the Power market and is majority-owned by Z.
- Plans and Pricing: Z Energy offers two plans: the EV at Home plan (aimed at EV owners, but not exclusive to them), with discounted energy rates at night and three free hours of power every night (plus ability to add on an Evnex Smart charger that can be paid off over 24 months interest-free); and the Fuel back home plan, which offers free litres of fuel (proportional to energy consumption). You can see all the plans here.
Our review: To help you understand how Z Energy works and the pros and cons of their plans, our guide covers:
1. Z Energy Price Analysis
Our Price Comparison Research and Results:
- Our latest research showed that Z Energy holds a competitive edge for both standard and low users in various cities across New Zealand. We think many households can achieve significant monthly energy bill savings with Z Energy. Nonetheless, like all power companies, specific prices vary based on your location and your energy consumption.
- With any decision making process, we suggest getting a quote and comparing it to other providers. You can get an estimate here. As with any power company, the exact prices depend on where you live in New Zealand and how much energy you use. You'll also need to have a smart meter.
- Compare Z Energy's power prices with the rest of the market here and get a direct quote here.
How green is Z Energy?
- Z Energy has many initiatives to increase the use of Electric vehicles; they have introduced EV chargers at retail service stations and backed a ride-sharing EV service (Mevo).
- Their independently verified carbon footprint is available online; they have reduced operational emissions and aim for a 42% reduction by 2030.
- They supported climate action to offset any unavoidable operational emissions, initiated various sustainability measures addressing waste, water, and energy and are investing in native biodiversity.
2. Z Energy Plans – EV at Home plan vs Fuel back home plan
Z Energy currently offers two residential plans: the EV at Home plan , aimed at households who own at least one Electric Vehicle, and the Fuel back home plan, designed for households with regular vehicles.
Please note that you must have a smart meter installed in your home to join either of these plans. Both plans are open-term, but a notice period applies.
Please note that you must have a smart meter installed in your home to join either of these plans. Both plans are open-term, but a notice period applies.
EV at Home plan Review
- Z Energy's EV at Home plan is designed for households with electric vehicles that charge their cars at home. The night time rates (9pm to 7am) on this plan are half the price of their daytime rates, and there are 3 hours of free power every night (from 3am to 6am). Please note the free hours and half price rates at night are not applicable to any separately priced controlled meter (such as for hot water) but apply to all other power consumption.
- To make the most of this plan, you would ideally shift most of your energy usage to the night-time and schedule energy-heavy tasks (dishwashing, clothes drying, etc.) and the charging of your electric vehicle to the free hours.
- Z Energy has partnered with Evnex to offer the purchase and installation of smart chargers, a simple installation allows for 3 m of cabling between your distribution board and charger). Z Energy says that a smart charger can charge your EV up to 4 times faster than a three-pin plug, and can monitor your charge load so it doesn't overload your home's power supply. If you decide to add on a smart charger when you sign up for Z Energy's EV at Home plan , you can choose to pay for the smart charger and installation upfront (about $2,200) or add it to your monthly electricity bill, interest-free for 24 months (around $92).
- This is an open-term plan, and its billing frequency is monthly.
- No fixed-term contract (unless you add on and pay off a smart charger over 24 months)
- Three hours of free energy every night and discounted rates at night time
- The option of purchasing and installing a smart charger
- Ability to pay off a smart charger over 24 months interest-free
The Cons:
- You must have a smart meter installed at your property.
- The Half-price night rates and the free hours of power are not available if you have a separately priced controlled meter (such as for hot water). These still do apply to all other power consumption (typically if you have a controlled meter, you also have other meters, so you can still benefit from free hours or half price rates at night with this consumption).
Be aware:
- Since this plan is designed primarily for overnight electric vehicle charging, examining its daily rates is important. Ensure it aligns with your electricity usage patterns throughout the day, and determine if it's the best fit for your household.
- As mentioned before, to make the most of this plan, you should be able to schedule energy-hungry activities to take place at night time and during the free hours.
Fuel Back Home plan Review
- Z Energy’s Fuel back home plan is aimed at households with cars that use fuel. The plan provides competitive energy rates and awards free litres of fuel to a Sharetank account, which is part of the Z App; these litres can be redeemed at any Z station in New Zealand.
- At the moment of writing, Z energy was offering 5 litres of fuel for every $100 of energy spend on your household bill. Please note: To receive the joining reward litres, you must not have previously been on a Fuel back home plan in the past 12 months, and if you sign up for this plan on multiple properties, you only receive the joining reward once.
- Partial litres of fuel are awarded, meaning you don’t have to wait until the next $100 of electricity spend is reached to receive 5 litres of fuel. For example, if you spend $130 on electricity, you’ll receive 6.5 litres of fuel. There is, however, a minimum threshold: the lowest amount that can be added to Sharetank is 2 litres ($40 of electricity); if, for a particular month, your electricity spend is less than $40, your reward litres will roll over to the next cycle until the 2 litres are accrued. Please note it can take up to 7 working days for reward litres to appear on your Sharetank account.
- A Sharetank account can be shared with up to 5 people (so any of them can make use of the litres at a pump station); when receiving or accruing reward litres, you need to make sure you are not “active” on someone else’s Sharetank account, as the litres might be awarded to them instead; you’ll need to contact Z energy in that case.
- The fuel types available to add to Sharetank are 91 Unleaded, 95 Premium Unleaded and Diesel.
- This plan has no fixed term, and the ordinary billing frequency is fortnightly.
- Please note that only regular energy spend accrues reward litres of fuel; other fees, like those incurred for site visits or credit card surcharges, are not considered.
The Pros:
- No fixed-term contract
- The plan’s rates are competitive, but what makes this one of the best-value propositions in the market is the free litres of fuel, especially with the recent price increase of petrol and diesel.
- Every month, free litres of fuel are added to your Sharetank account, which is part of the Z App. You’ll just need to sign up using the same mobile number as your Fuel back home plan. With Sharetank, you will also be able to purchase fuel in advance (you can monitor fuel prices and buy litres when you see a price that’s good for you) and redeem them at any Z station in New Zealand. You can also share the litres in your account with up to 5 people.
The Cons:
- To make the most of this plan, you would own a non-EV car and a smartphone (to monitor the app and redeem or transfer the free fuel to someone else).
- You must have a smart meter installed at your property.
3. Z Energy Conclusion
To determine which plan best suits your needs, you'll need to consider the following:
Additional benefits: Besides its electricity plans, Z offers many promotions that can earn you Airpoints, and loyalty discounts when purchasing fuel from Z stations. Also, you can buy fuel in advance through Sharetank when the price is right and redeem the purchased litres later from any Z station around New Zealand.
- Lifestyle: The main distinguishing factor between the two plans offered by Z Energy is what kind of car you use: regular or electric. If you have an EV, the best plan for you is the EV at Home plan, which offers discounted rates at night (from 9pm to 7am) and 3 hours of free power (from 3am to 6am). This is a great option for people with EVs who can shift their main energy consumption to the night time to maximise savings. If you drive a car that uses fuel, then the best option would be the Fuel back home plan, which offers competitive rates during the day time and provides free litres of fuel (upon joining and at a rate of 5 litres per $100 of energy spend) on Sharetank, which is accessible through the Z app.
- Flexibility and convenience: Both plans have no fixed-term contracts or exit fees.
Additional benefits: Besides its electricity plans, Z offers many promotions that can earn you Airpoints, and loyalty discounts when purchasing fuel from Z stations. Also, you can buy fuel in advance through Sharetank when the price is right and redeem the purchased litres later from any Z station around New Zealand.
4. Z Energy Frequently Asked Questions
To help you decide if Z Energy is right for your home, we've published a number of frequently asked questions.
What does Z Energy cost per month, and is it the cheapest?
What you pay depends on where you live, how much energy you use, and your plan. Our electricity company comparison guide has more information about estimated costs and how it compares to other companies. For the Fuel Back Home Plan, you can get an estimate of your bill by entering your energy consumption per month, fortnight or week.
Is Z Energy available at my address?
Most likely - you'll need to type in your address to see if you're covered.
