Sector: Charitable organisation / Food rescue
Location: Wellington region, including Kāpiti Coast, Wellington city, Hutt Valley and extending into Horowhenua
Scale: Three bases; nine vehicles (six fully electric). More than 30 volunteers daily. 165 community partners, connecting good kai with 12,000 people every week. 760,247kg of food rescued in the 2024/25 financial year
The challenge
Like many charitable organisations, Kaibosh operates on tight margins. For years, running a fleet of petrol and diesel vans was simply the default. Fuel was always available, always predictable, and the cost, while significant, was manageable. But as fuel prices began to rise and the organisation's ambitions grew, the limitations of that model became harder to ignore.
Kaibosh has a clear vision. Zero food poverty and zero food waste. Delivering on that means keeping vehicles on the road every day. That means collecting surplus food from supermarkets, picking up produce from farms, and getting it to communities who need it most.
At the same time, the organisation's leadership was increasingly conscious of the tension between running diesel vehicles and its broader values around sustainability.
There was also a practical problem closer to home. Kaibosh's Kāpiti base operates out of a warehouse complex built in the 1970s, with an electrical system to match. The building's total capacity sits at around 60 amps, shared between large commercial chillers, freezers, and any charging equipment.
Early attempts to charge larger vehicles using a static charger drew a flat 40 amps regardless of what else was running, repeatedly blowing fuses, switching off refrigeration units and creating unsafe conditions at the mains fuse board.
What changed
Kaibosh began transitioning its fleet in 2019, starting with a board decision to move away from petrol and diesel. Initially, this meant taking advantage of opportunities as they arose, such as acquiring first-generation EVs from Sustainability Trust in Wellington when they became available. Over time, the approach became more deliberate and strategic.
Today, six of Kaibosh's nine vehicles are fully electric, replacing four petrol vans and two diesel trucks. The fleet covers around 65,000 kilometres a year across the three bases. The core workhorse at the Kāpiti base is a 2025 Ford E-Transit on a free lease from Capital City Motors. It's reliable, predictable, and capable of around 270 kilometres on a full charge. The organisation is also trialling a large electric JAC truck for hauling bulk food from farms. It is looking for the best long-term solution for heavy haulage.
The breakthrough on the infrastructure side came with the installation of a ThunderGrid dynamic charger. Unlike a static charger that draws a fixed load, the ThunderGrid continuously adjusts its power draw based on what else is running in the building. When the chillers and freezers are in their active cycle, the charger draws less; when they drop out, it draws more. The result is a system that charges the vehicle safely and continuously throughout the day, without ever straining the building's aged electrical infrastructure. Drivers can return from a run, unload over 30 to 45 minutes, and leave again with the vehicle at full charge, without anyone having to manually manage the power load.
Operationally, the transition has prompted a shift in how the team plans its days. Charging requires a little more forethought than stopping at a petrol station, so drivers now check charge levels at the end of each shift and ensure vehicles are at 85 to 90% before the next morning. Route planning has become more deliberate, combining multiple pickups and drop-offs into single trips to make the most of each charge. These are small changes, but they've introduced a discipline that has made the whole operation more efficient.
Results so far
The benefits of the transition have been both financial and operational. Some of the most significant have become apparent only as the external environment has changed around Kaibosh.
With fuel costs rising sharply, organisations that run petrol and diesel fleets are having to make difficult choices to rein in costs. Kaibosh, by contrast, has the flexibility to keep responding. When a food distribution partner in Tawa called to say they had food about to expire and couldn't get to Kaibosh, the answer was simple. The kaibosh van was charged, and someone went. That kind of responsiveness, once taken for granted with fossil fuels, is now an electric fleet advantage.
Key outcomes from the transition include:
• Fuel costs fell by $2,580 in the 2024/25 financial year compared to 2022/23, with further savings expected as the electric fleet grows. Electricity costs have risen over the same period, reflecting both increased charging and general price increases across the board. The full picture is still emerging as the fleet matures.
• Food rescued grew from 429,269kg in 2021/22 to 760,247kg in 2024/25, a 77% increase. The electric fleet has been a key to that growth, supporting more runs and greater geographic reach.
• Six EVs now cover around 65,000km a year, replacing four petrol vans and two diesel trucks. This has reduced Kaibosh's emissions by at least 15 tonnes per year. The organisation also publishes monthly figures for emissions avoided due to its food rescue service.
• Increased operational responsiveness. Kaibosh is now supporting charity partners who can no longer afford the fuel to collect food themselves, extending the reach of the network.
• Strong interest from donors and philanthropic funders, for whom investment in this infrastructure is seen as a meaningful signal of organisational intent.
• Positive community engagement. Drivers are regularly approached by members of the public curious about the vehicles.
Looking ahead
Kaibosh is continuing to work towards a fleet that is fully electric in all but one vehicle. That exception is a refrigerated diesel kept in reserve for emergency response, particularly for scenarios where the power grid might be down.
The organisation is talking to local councils, including Kāpiti Coast District Council, about greater investment in community-based public charging infrastructure. As fast chargers at commercial fuel retailers become more expensive to use, Kaibosh sees accessible community charging as an important part of the wider system shift needed to support organisations and individuals making the transition to electric.
Keltie Wesling is Kaibosh's Kāpiti-Horowhenua Operations Manager. For other organisations considering a similar move, her advice is practical. Get the right combination of vehicle and charging infrastructure for your specific setting, and be prepared to learn as you go. Leasing rather than buying outright gives flexibility while you find the right fit, and a good supplier relationship means you have support when things don't go to plan.
I wouldn't give up our electric vehicles now. Especially not at the moment. Once you've got the right setup, it just works. And then it becomes hard to imagine going back."
Keltie Wesling, Kaibosh Kāpiti-Horowhenua Operations Manager