Two 75kW ChargeNet EV chargers for Ravenswood

Two ChargeNet 75kW chargers have been installed at New World Ravenswood in the Waimakariri District of North Canterbury.

The site is powered by Ecotricity’s 100% renewable Toitū climate-positive certified electricity, generated from wind, hydro, and solar.

“Our goal is to support EV drivers in their communities and on the open road with multiple charging options,” says ChargeNet network manager William Burdon.

“Installing these chargers brings peace of mind to customers in Christchurch’s northern suburbs, encouraging local residents to transition to EVs.

“The design at New World Ravenswood will improve accessibility for all our customers with disabilities, families with young children, and even commercial vehicles such as electric vans,” Burdon explains.

“The combination of an accessible layout and the implementation of advanced charging hardware will ultimately result in a more inclusive and user-friendly charging experience.”

The charge points have dedicated parking bays, delivering the maximum charge rate and enabling drivers to charge their vehicles quickly.

To improve accessibility, parking bays are wider to ensure unimpeded access, kerbs have been removed to enable better access for wheelchairs and other mobility devices, and chargers are equipped with a built-in cable-management system, making it easy to connect and disconnect a vehicle, says ChargeNet, which aims to double its network in the next three years.

Burdon says the new charging points will complement existing ChargeNet’s 50kW chargers at Pak’nSave Rangiora and New World Kaiapoi, meaning the suburbs north of Christchurch have access to multiple charging points.

This supports the growing demand for EV charging infrastructure in the region, as well as its transition to low-carbon transport modes, he adds.

“So far this year, 14.2% of all vehicles registered in Canterbury are electric, the fourth-highest purchase rate of any region in the country.

“Our goal is to continue to expand our comprehensive, user-friendly network with conveniently located chargers, to support existing EV owners, making the switch to an EV even easier.”

New World Ravenswood owner-operators Justin and Melissa Blackler say that adding the charging site was just one more way to support their emissions-conscious customers.

“Promoting the uptake of clean energy transport with electric vehicles is very important to us, and is something we know our customers want,” they say.

“We continue to look at ways we can reduce theimpact of our operations and reduce reliance on fossil fuels.”

The rapid charging stations were jointly funded by ChargeNet and the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority (EECA), with co-funding from EECA’s Low Emission Transport Fund (LETF).

EECA transport manager Camilla Cochrane says it is committed to the next growth phase in the charging network, working alongside companies like ChargeNet.

“Our priority is to ensure people can charge where and when they need to, so we’re working strategically to ensure there are more high-capacity chargers on our state highways, as well as greater density in our communities, right across New Zealand.”

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