Springs Junction EV Charging Site Is Open For Business

EV drivers in the South Island can drive easier knowing that Meridian’s cutting-edge charging station at Springs Junction, on a key route between Christchurch and Nelson, is plugged in and ready to charge.

The project, one of the first of its kind in New Zealand, will fill a gap in the South Island’s charging network and make journeys much easier for people behind the wheel of an EV.

Meridian Principal Product Manager, Tim Calder, says it’s been in the works for around two years and required some seriously out-of-the-box thinking.

“The remote location of Springs Junction and nature of its local electricity network meant our normal way of delivering chargers went out the window, because the secure electricity supply we need just isn’t there.”

“The local network is at capacity for about 19 hours a day, and during that time there’s only about 4kW available at this site - barely enough to boil a jug, let alone charge an EV! But, there is plenty of capacity between 11pm and 4am, which gave us a clever idea and led to the breakthrough that made this project possible."

Meridian’s Zero brand EV chargers are being supported by three 120kWh Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) units, which use recycled Nissan Leaf batteries to store energy.

The BESS units charge overnight, when pressure on the local network is at its lowest, before releasing power to the chargers throughout the day.

Because charging can’t be guaranteed as it can at other sites, Meridian has set up a landing page (zerocharging.co.nz/SJ ) to provide EV drivers with up-to-date information about the site’s availability.

With information updated every five minutes, drivers will be able to see how many kWh are available in the BESS units, allowing them to make informed decisions about whether to pass through Springs Junction or choose a different route.

“We’re urging drivers to only take what they need while there are limited kilowatts available. This is a long way from a normal EV charging set-up, but it’s a great example of Kiwi ingenuity and doing what’s needed to get the job done for our customers,” says Tim Calder.

“This project has taken longer than expected, and it’s really tested the thinking of our team as they’ve worked to overcome challenges along the way. We appreciate the understanding and patience of the community while we delivered this solution.

“We hope it works well for EV drivers, and we’ll be keeping a close eye on the site and driver feedback to see whether we need to make any further changes.”

Springs Junction is one of several remote sites where Meridian is using innovative solutions to meet the needs of EV drivers and improve travel throughout the South Island.

In 2022, Meridian was awarded EECA co-funding from the Low Emissions Transport Fund (LETF) to address critical, challenging sites at Kohatu, Haast, Harihari, Springs Junction, and St Arnaud in the South Island. The planned Harihari charging site has since been moved to The Lonely Stag in Whataroa.

With the Kohatu and Springs Junction projects completed, work is underway to upgrade the power supply and install chargers at the remaining three locations, which are all expected to go live in 2025.

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