ChargeNet Installs South Islands Fastest EV Chargers At Raeward Fresh Harewood

Electric vehicle (EV) drivers in Christchurch will benefit from the fastest public chargers available in the South Island, with ChargeNet announcing the successful installation of a hyper-rapid charging station at Raeward Fresh Harewood. The site is powered by Ecotricity’s 100% renewable, Toitū climate-positive certified electricity, generated from wind, hydro, and solar.

The two 300kW chargers, the first of their type to be installed in the South Island, will provide charging for up to four vehicles at a time, in close proximity to Christchurch Airport. Due to their location, ChargeNet anticipates they will be used extensively by local drivers, tourists arriving in and travelling through Christchurch due to their convenient location close to State Highway 1, as well as by services operating near the airport that utilise EVs as part of their fleet.

The new 300kW EV charging stations joins ChargeNet’s already established network of 150kW hyper-rapid sites operated by ChargeNet partners in Blenheim in Marlborough, Orari in South Canterbury, and Twizel in the Mackenzie District, as well as multiple locations across the North Island. The new chargers are an expansion of the existing 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 the comfort and ease of long-distance travel,” he says.

Martin Miles says that ChargeNet is rapidly approaching the significant milestone of 2 million individual charging sessions, and the installation of the 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 in close proximity to the key arterial routes that lead to Christchurch International Airport, the South Island’s busiest transport hub. 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 biggest barriers to EV adoption. As a data-driven organisation with a core focus on customer experience, we have been able to determine 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 is administered by EECA.

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

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

In the last year, ChargeNet has increased its number of fast-charging points from 285 to 364 in the last 12 months and has 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, and ChargeNet is committed to making proactive investments to support that growth.

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