ChargeNet NZ adds third Dunedin EV fast charger site

ChargeNet NZ has expanded its Dunedin network to include a third EV fast charger location in the city’s central business district.

The Water Street location hosts two EV fast chargers – one 50kW DC charger and a 25kW charger.

They add to fast chargers at the University of Otago and Pak’nSave in South Dunedin which, in the four months since installation, have delivered 5.18MW/h of energy via 733 charging sessions, potentially saving as much as six tonnes of CO2 from entering the atmosphere.

Through its partnership with ChargeNet, Aurora Energy is supporting the installation of public rapid EV chargers at key driving locations.

The latest EV chargers will be officially opened on October 3 at 4pm, the event open to the public.

It will also acknowledge the site’s significance given the city’s stellar ranking with having the highest number of EVs per head of population in the country.

“We heard the people of Dunedin; they wanted more charging infrastructure, particularly in the inner-city, and we knew based on the incredible growth of the EV fleet in Dunedin it was time to grow our network there,” ChargeNet NZ chief executive Steve West says.

“New Zealand needs to see a rapid transition of the light passenger fleet to electric, and we know that starts with the availability of charging infrastructure to support it,” he says.

“With nearly 200 fast chargers nationwide and now three fast charging locations in Dunedin, the ChargeNet network is enabling that transition even faster.”

Dunedin mayor Aaron Hawkins says the city is committed to climate action, with the Dunedin City Council setting an ambitious target for the city to be net zero carbon by 2030.

“We can’t achieve that without radically rethinking our transport network, and increasing the capacity of our EV charging network is an essential part of this.”

Aurora Energy chief executive Richard Fletcher says it has seen EV uptake grow exponentially in Dunedin over the last few years.

“At Aurora Energy we have been planning for this growth to ensure we have the infrastructure to support electric vehicles now and into the future.”

Meanwhile, ChargeNet says it cannot proceed at this stage with two proposed 50kW fast charging sites at the Top of the South on SH63 in the Wairau Valley and SH7 at St Arnaud in spite of three years of checking as there is insufficient power supply to both.