EV charging network ChargeNet has officially opened New Zealand’s largest-ever EV charging hub at Tauranga Crossing.
The $1.8 million charging hub can charge up to 10 vehicles at one time – more than any other charging hub in New Zealand – and can add up to 300km of range within 20 minutes – enough to power most EV journeys to Auckland or to Hamilton and back. The hub is designed to meet the growing demand for EV charging with its installed charging capacity.
ChargeNet CEO Danusia Wypych said Tauranga Crossing is a destination where every part of life intersects, making it a critical location for charging infrastructure.
“Our data show that the new charging hub is ideally positioned to support charging demand and meet our customer’s needs, offering fast and convenient charging alongside amenities for drivers on the go,” said Wypych.
“Tauranga Crossing is a point of convergence for the Bay of Plenty, hosting approximately 26,000 vehicles per day on average. This strategic location is expected to significantly enhance charging accessibility, especially given it provides two ‘pull-through’ charging bays that provide access to electric vehicles towing trailers, campervans, and small electric trucks,” she said.
“Building such significant capability at Tauranga Crossing reflects the fact that EVs continue to be an attractive proposition for all New Zealand drivers, from an economic perspective as well as reduced emissions,” said Wypych.
“By providing more ChargeNet chargers at locations where drivers need them, we’re building confidence in the network for everyday EV drivers and helping to get more Kiwi drivers into EVs by building their trust that the EV-charging network can support them.”
The challenge, according to Wypych, is for public charging infrastructure to support the increasing uptake of EVs.
“We are already well behind the pace, and we need to catch up quickly. Our ratio of public chargers per EV is the lowest in the OECD,” she said.
“Enabling investors in EV chargers to connect to the country’s 28 local electricity networks quickly and on effective terms is essential for getting more EV chargers on the ground at the pace we need to. We’re waiting to hear more detail on how the Government will use its learning from the Ultra Fast Broadband model to partner with private capital. The effectiveness of the model was based on partnering with the businesses and sharing the risk around the future of utilisation.”
Wypych said Tauranga Crossing is an example of how private and public funding can work together to build high-impact infrastructure that meets the needs of the public.
“This new charging hub is a part of our wider plan to grow our network to 600 charging points – with a variety of hubs and destination chargers around the country designed to meet customer demand that is set up so capacity can be ramped up to accommodate increasing demand and utilisation as the number of EVs on the road increases,” she said.
Wypych said the charging hub has enabled ChargeNetto strengthen its network capacity in Aotearoa’s most densely populated region – the Golden Triangle, comprising the area between Tauranga, Hamilton, and Auckland. The area is the home of over 50% of New Zealand’s population.
“The benefit goes beyond developing more sustainable transport: driving an EV has clear economic benefits,” she said.
The new charging hub is jointly funded by ChargeNet and EECA, with co-funding from EECA’s Low Emission Transport Fund (LETF).
