EV Software Updates: How Over-the-Air Updates Work in NZ

Your EV is one of the few vehicles you own that can genuinely get better after you buy it — new features, improved range calculations, even faster charging curves, all delivered without a workshop visit. But how well this works in New Zealand depends heavily on your brand, your mobile coverage, and a few habits worth knowing.

How OTA updates actually work

Most modern EVs have a built-in SIM (embedded SIM or "eSIM") that connects to a mobile network — in NZ that's typically routed through Spark or Vodafone/One NZ infrastructure depending on the manufacturer's telematics partner. When the manufacturer releases new software, it's pushed to the car's onboard computer over that cellular connection, or via home Wi-Fi if the car supports it.

The car downloads the update in the background, then prompts you (usually while parked, with the battery above a minimum charge level, often 20–25%) to install it. Installation can take anywhere from 10 minutes to over an hour depending on the scope of the update.

What OTA updates typically change

• Battery management refinements — improved cell balancing algorithms, more accurate range estimates
• Charging curve optimisation — faster DC fast-charging by adjusting how aggressively the battery accepts current
• Infotainment features — new apps, UI changes, streaming service additions
• Driver assistance tweaks — adaptive cruise, lane-keeping calibration adjustments
• Bug fixes — everything from screen glitches to climate control quirks
• Safety recalls — increasingly delivered as software fixes rather than requiring a physical part

Which brands actually do this well in NZ

Tesla remains the benchmark — frequent updates, full OTA delivery, no dealer visit required for the vast majority of fixes and features.

Polestar and BYD (newer models) support meaningful OTA updates including charging and range improvements, though less frequently than Tesla.

Hyundai and Kia (IONIQ 5, IONIQ 6, EV6) support OTA for infotainment and some vehicle systems, but many powertrain-level updates still require a dealer visit with a cable connection — true full-vehicle OTA is still rolling out model by model.

MG, GWM, and several Chinese-market EVs sold in NZ have more limited OTA capability currently, often restricted to infotainment rather than battery or motor control software.

Nissan Leaf (all generations) has minimal to no OTA capability — updates typically require a dealer visit.

The NZ-specific catches

Rural coverage gaps

If you're charging or parked overnight somewhere with poor cellular coverage — parts of the Coromandel, the central North Island, much of the West Coast — your car may sit for weeks without checking in for an update, even if one is available. Home Wi-Fi-capable models get around this if you remember to connect the car to your home network.

Data costs are usually absorbed by the manufacturer

Unlike your phone plan, the SIM data used for OTA updates is bundled by the manufacturer (often for a fixed number of years from new). Once that period lapses — typically 5–8 years depending on brand — some manufacturers require a paid data plan renewal (roughly $60–$150 per year) to keep the telematics connection active, though core driving functions are unaffected either way.

Updates aren't optional forever

Manufacturers occasionally push mandatory updates tied to safety recalls. In NZ, these are coordinated with the New Zealand Transport Agency (Waka Kotahi) recall register, but the fix itself is delivered through the car's own connection rather than a physical recall notice requiring a workshop booking, in cases where the fault is software-based.

Should you delay an update?

Generally, no — but there are two sensible exceptions:

• Before a long road trip, avoid installing a major update the night before departure. Occasionally updates introduce new bugs before a follow-up patch fixes them, and you don't want to discover that on the way to Wellington.
• If the release notes mention charging changes, it's worth checking EV owner forums (NZ-specific Facebook groups for your model are usually fast to flag issues) before updating if you're relying on fast charging for an imminent trip.

What we see at the workshop

When customers bring in an EV with a persistent minor fault — a display glitch, an inaccurate range estimate, occasional charging hiccups — checking whether a pending software update addresses it is one of the first things we do, because it's free and can resolve issues that would otherwise look like a hardware fault. We've had more than a few cases where what looked like a charging port problem was actually resolved by an update the owner hadn't installed yet.

Selling or buying a used EV — check the update status

Before selling, it's worth installing any pending update so the next owner starts with a clean slate rather than immediately being prompted to download a large file. Conversely, if you're buying a used EV, check the software version against the manufacturer's current release — a car that's several versions behind may simply have been driven somewhere with poor coverage, but it's also worth confirming there's no outstanding recall-related update sitting unapplied, since that's exactly the kind of fix OTA delivery is now used for.

Bottom line

OTA updates are one of the quiet advantages of EV ownership — free improvements delivered without workshop time. In NZ, coverage gaps and brand differences mean it's worth checking your settings menu occasionally rather than assuming updates happen automatically, especially if your car has sat in a low-coverage area for an extended period.