There's a large appetite for electric vehicles in New Zealand, shown by the latest local research.

Dr Rebecca Ford, of the University of Otago's Centre for Sustainability, recommends changes to improve uptake.

She says most people are willing to use electric vehicles but they're dissuaded by cost and confusion.

There's about 660 electric vehicles nationwide.

Dr Ford says public charging stations should be set up, as well as government and corporate fleets, otherwise New Zealand will be left behind in terms of renewable transport.