Orion partners with Christchurch city to launch public EV chargers

Canterbury electricity network company Orion has opened its first public electric vehicle (EV) charging station.

A fast charger and a standard charger have been opened in Little River on Banks Peninsula.

The stations have been installed by Orion, in partnership with Christchurch City Council.

The company is planning on rolling out more chargers across its network over the coming months.

A fast charger typically charges an EV in around 20 to 30 minutes, while a standard charger will take a few hours to fully charge a car.

EVs are normally topped up at public spots rather than getting a complete charge.

The fast charging station will be free to use until the end of January 2017, so that EV drivers can drive to Akaroa and back in the Xmas holidays at no cost. From February 2017 a typical charge will cost about $10. The standard charging station will be free to use for at least one year.

“EV technology is improving all the time and given their many benefits they’re set to make a strong contribution to our transport needs, Orion chief executive Rob Jamieson says.

“We want to encourage that future and facilitate our customer’s ability to benefit from EVs.”

The need to provide strategically placed public charging stations to help overcome “range anxiety” is a vision shared by the Christchurch City Council.

Christchurch deputy mayor Andrew Turner says the council wants EVs to be part of the region’s transport future.

“EVs offer a number of benefits to the city – improving air quality, reducing emissions and reducing the reliance on imported fuel.”

The council is working with Orion on a further five sites for EV charging stations, and more potential locations will be considered in the future, he says.

Those interested in learning more about electric vehicles or Orion’s EV charging stations can visit its website at
oriongroup.co.nz/electric-vehicles.

EV owners need to open an account at charge.net.nz

to be able to use the chargers.