Minister of Energy and Resources Dr. Megan Woods said 10 new DC fast charging stations will be installed in Kohatu, St Arnaud, Springs Junction, Hari Hari and Haast in a partnership between the government’s Low Emissions Transport Fund and Meridian Energy.
The new stations will be available from May next year and will benefit motorists traveling between Nelson and Christchurch on the domestic route and along State Highway 6 on the west coast.
Woods said they would fill key gaps in the South Island’s public EV charging network.
“This co-financing round was strategically focused on a few specific locations, to ensure good charging coverage in the South Island.”
Chargers in these locations would complete the government’s goal of providing fast chargers to the public at 75-kilometer intervals along state highways.
Woods said the new stations were located in some of the most challenging locations in New Zealand to install electric vehicle chargers, due to grid limitations and lower traffic volume.
“These locations are on some of our popular tourist routes, giving travelers and locals the confidence to take their electric vehicle and enjoy the scenic drive without the risk of getting stranded.
“Being more remote, they presented some unique challenges for potential charging providers, so I’m excited to see this government support for public goods win them over.”
The Low Emissions Transport Fund, managed by the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority, is contributing $1,065,914, in addition to $756,782 in private investment from Meridian to help fill the gaps in the State Highway network.
“Meridian provided a robust solution, with two fast chargers in each location to provide redundancy. They thought outside the box to provide both value for money and workable engineering solutions, including the battery storage system at Springs Junction, the first of its kind in New York Zealand.”
New charging stations on the South Island
Kohatu – two 50 kW DC fast chargers filling a network gap between Murchison and Nelson.
Hurry – two 50 kW DC fast chargers filling a network gap between Wanaka and Franz Joseph.
Hari Hari – two 50kW DC fast chargers, filling a gap between Fox Glacier and Westport.
St Arnaud – two 25 kW DC chargers, facilitating the movement of electric vehicles to Lake Rotoiti and Blenheim.
Springs Junction – two 50 kW DC fast chargers and three 120 kWh battery energy storage systems, eliminating a major charging infrastructure blackspot between the West Coast and Christchurch.