$12m boost for EV projects
Low emissions transport gets almost $12 million following the latest government low emission vehicles contestable funding round.
Twenty-one successful applicants from 71 applications get a share of the $3.8m government co-funding announced by energy and resources minister Dr Megan Woods.
They will contribute more than $8m of their own money, bringing the combined investment to almost $12m.
The projects range from increasing the number and availability of public EV charging stations to trialling vehicle-to-grid battery technology.
Aimed at encouraging innovation and investment accelerating the uptake of low emission vehicles in New Zealand, the fund has committed $23.8m in government funding to 139 projects – matched by $50m in applicant funding.
The fund encourages innovation and investment to accelerate the uptake of low emission vehicles in New Zealand that might not otherwise occur.
Up to $7m in grant funding is available in 2019/2020.
Woods notes the fund’s impact so far, particularly in improving infrastructure for EV drivers in New Zealand.
In total, the government has now committed co-funding for more than 1000 EV chargers nationwide, of which over 600 are operational.
Notable projects to receive co-funding from round seven include:
- Foodstuffs to partner with ChargeNet to install public fast chargers at urban and provincial supermarkets;
- The Warehouse Group to install fast chargers at regional Warehouse stores for public use;
- Cityhop to purchase 50 EVs for nationwide car sharing;
- Mahu City Express to add an electric coach to its luxury coach and shuttle service operating between the Mahurangi region and Auckland;
- Eastland Port to purchase an electric truck for watering and dust suppression at Eastland Port, which will be the first electric water truck in NZ;
- The Wellington City Council to install chargers at Waitohi, a major community hub being developed in Johnsonville; and
- Whangarei-based electricity distribution company Northpower to trial vehicle-to-grid technology at a residential address.
Woods has also announced the fund’s round eight will open for applications on February 19 and close at noon on March 19, successful applicants announced in July.
The investment focus will for the first time include support for publicly available secure e-bike storage facilities.
Visit https://www.eeca.govt.nz/funding-and-support/low-emission-vehicles-contestable-fund/apply-for-co-funding/ for more information on the new investment focus.
The fund is one of several initiatives in the government’s Electric Vehicles Programme and is administered by the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority (EECA).
EECA’s board is responsible for approving funding proposals, which are evaluated and recommended by an independent assessment panel.
Visit www.eeca.govt.nz/funding-and-support/low-emission-vehicles-contestable-fund/ or email the EECA team on LEVFund@eeca.govt.nz for more.
The successful 21 applicants
Charging infrastructure
- ChargeSmart $18,000 to partner with the Taranaki Regional Council to install four public 22kW AC
chargers with a contactless payment solution at Pukeiti Garden in Taranaki as a new EV charging model.
- ChargeSmart $175,000 to work with accommodation providers outside the main centres on
overnight charging to travellers with 25 dual 22KW AC chargers at 16 accommodation sites
across NZ – Hanmer Springs, New Plymouth, Tauranga, Christchurch, Methven, Levin,
Fiordland, Oamaru, Nelson, Invercargill, Timaru, Farewell Spit, and Havelock North.
- Todd Property Ormiston Town Centre $120,000 to install public fast chargers, public chargers and associated civil works in the development.
- Ebbett Waikato $148,602 for a 175kW DC ultra-fast public EV charger at Te Rapa Gateway, Hamilton. The charger will be available 24/7, offering credit card payment. All EVs capable of DC charging will be able to use it.
- Foodstuffs (NZ) $113,400 to partner with ChargeNet to install one South Island public 50kW fast
charger at each of two supermarket locations in Christchurch (Durham Street and Wainoni) and
one in Timaru. An additional 25kW charger will be installed at the Timaru location if budget
allows.
- Foodstuffs (NZ) $487,000 to partner with ChargeNet to install 13 public 50kW fast chargers at
urban (Birkenhead, New Lynn, Devonport, Massey, Silverdale, Porirua) and provincial
(Wellsford, Te Puke, New Plymouth, Taupo, Whanganui, Palmerston North, Carterton)
North Island supermarkets.
- ChargeNet NZ $257,000 for four 300kW chargers for Taupo CBD.
- ChargeNet NZ $77,000 for a public 50kW DC fast charger in each of Rerenga Street, Mokau in the
North Island and Palmerston in the South Island, filling two key gaps in the charging network.
- Drive EV $37,000 for one 50kW DC charger and one 22kW charger at its Central
Taupo premises which will be publicly available and offer 24/7 ChargeNet billing.
- Wellington City Council $50,000 for four public 25kW DC medium speed electric vehicle chargers
at the Waitohi hub in Johnsonville.
- The Warehouse Group $265,588 for one 50kW rapid charge DC EV charging station in eight
regional stores for free public use, at Kaitaia, Kerikeri, Royal Oak, Gisborne, Petone, Greymouth, Rolleston and South Dunedin. It will expand the group’s network of 24 chargers around the country.
- Mitchell Corp NZ $43,950 to provide bookable EV charging facilities at 15 NZ accommodation providers.
- Refining NZ $49,385 for one 50kW DC fast charger in the Visitor Centre carpark on the Twin
Coast Discovery tourist route, and two 22kW slow chargers for visitor parking at Refining NZ’s
offices.
Car rental/car share
- Anglesea Car Rentals $351,564 to transition its “Loop” car share fleet of 20 combustion engine
vehicles to battery electric vehicles (BEVs) and install 7.2kW chargers at 20 vehicle home
spaces. This car share project will be the first of its kind in the Waikato to feature BEVs.
- Zilch (formerly Yoogo Share) $300,000 to support deployment of a zero-emission car sharing service and related EV charging infrastructure in strategic locations throughout Auckland’s CBD. Its Auckland fleet will include the Hyundai Kona with 400km range.
- Cityhop $312,500 for 50 more EVs to take its electric car sharing service nationwide.
- GO Rentals $180,000 to offer six rental BEVs at the same price as a combustion engine
car, the ability to book the vehicles online, and no fees for re-charging. Two cars
will be available each in Dunedin and Queenstown, with a further vehicle at each Auckland
and Christchurch sitges. GO will also provide public access to a charger at Queenstown Airport.
Heavy electric vehicles
- Eastland Port $298,500 to buy an electric truck for watering and dust suppression at Eastland
Port, and install a 60kW charging station.
- Mahu City Express $352,500 to add an electric coach to its luxury inter-urban commuter/day coach and shuttle service operating between the Mahurangi region and Auckland. A 120kW heavy EV charger will be installed to service the coach.
Electric vans
- St John gets $127,179 towards two electric vans to test as mobility vehicles for its Health Shuttle fleet in Winton, Invercargill, Bluff, and Otautau. St John will fit them out with wheelchair access, and will install four 22kW AC chargers to charge the vehicles.
Technology
- Northpower $13,200 for a Second Generation Nissan Leaf with bi-directional Chademo port to run a trial of vehicle-to-grid technology at a residential address, working with Nichicon (providing the EV power station) and the University of Canterbury to run the trial, including managing real-time data, and analysis of the results.
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