ChargeNet installs South Island’s fastest public chargers yet

Electric vehicle (EV) drivers in Christchurch will benefit from the fastest public chargers available in the South Island, with ChargeNet installing a hyper-rapid charging station at Raeward Fresh Harewood. 

The site is powered by Ecotricity’s 100% renewable, Toitū climate-positive certified electricity from wind, hydro, and solar. The first 300kW chargers, installed on South Island, will charge up to four vehicles at a time, close to Christchurch Airport. 

ChargeNet anticipates they will be used by local drivers and tourists arriving in and travelling through Christchurch due to their convenient location and services operating near the airport that utilise EVs as part of their fleet.

The new 300kW EV charging stations join ChargeNet’s 150kW hyper-rapid sites operated by ChargeNet partners in Blenheim in Marlborough, Orari in South Canterbury, and Twizel in the Mackenzie District. The new chargers are an expansion of the 50kW site, installed by Orion in February 2018.

ChargeNet Chief Operating Officer Martin Miles says that ChargeNet has two other hyper-rapid charging stations planned for Dunedin and Queenstown, which he expected would come online within the next six months.

“With these strategic sites, our customers can effectively “leapfrog” between our South Island hyper-rapid charging stations. This opens up a pathway of efficient EV travel throughout the South Island, minimising charging downtime and enhancing long-distance travel,” he says.

Miles says that ChargeNet is rapidly approaching the significant milestone of 2 million individual charging sessions, and installing world-class technology is part of ChargeNet’s strategy to get EV-charging infrastructure into areas where it is most in demand. 

“The location is near the critical arterial routes that lead to Christchurch International Airport, the South Island’s busiest transport hub,” says Miles. 

“The new chargers will allow drivers to quickly add hundreds of kilometres of range in the time it takes to do their shopping. We know that confidence in access to fast charging reduces range anxiety, removing one of the most significant barriers to EV adoption. 

As a data-driven organisation with a core focus on customer experience, we have determined that this is the best location in the area to install these hyper-rapid chargers,” he says.

The rapid charging station was jointly funded by ChargeNet, Foodstuffs South Island, and the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority (EECA), with funding from Round 8 of the Government’s Low Emission Transport Fund (LETF), which EECA administers. 

Miles says that ChargeNet worked closely with the owner-operators of Raeward Fresh Harewood to develop the new site successfully.

“They have demonstrated their commitment to low-carbon transport and the demand for charging infrastructure. We have worked with several Foodstuffs retailers over the years, and owner-operators’ response is always extremely positive,” says Miles.

In the last year, ChargeNet has increased its fast-charging points from 285 to 364 in the previous 12 months and plans to open up to 30 new sites during 2024. Sustained charging demand on the ChargeNet network over the summer has proven that the appetite for EV charging continues to grow in New Zealand.