Free EV fast charger opens in Pukekohe

Pukekohe has opened a free EV fast charger and another is coming shortly.

Counties Power this week officially opened the charger in the public car park beside Pukekohe Countdown supermarket.

It will fully charge a vehicle in about 20 minutes.

Counties Power received $50,000 funding from the Energy Efficiency Conservation Authority (EECA) towards the cost of installing the station. The company will also provide free power to the station until at least 2020. Auckland Transport supported the facility through designating a public car park specifically for its use.

Counties Power is a strong supporter of EVs, with its own Nissan Leaf fleet running since 2013, its acting chief executive corporate Andrew Toop says.

“Electric vehicles are the way of the future, and we’re proud to support this technology and offer these services free to the public. By providing a fast charging facility it is expected to attract people into the Pukekohe town centre to recharge their vehicles and support local businesses.”

Counties Power is installing an additional fast charging station at its Glasgow Rd site in Pukekohe later this month. Both the fast charging station and trickle chargers at Counties Power’s site are free for public use.

EECA transport development manager Liz Yeaman says Counties Power was granted the funding under the Low Emission Vehicle Contestable Fund in January.