The growing community of Ravenswood, located in the Waimakariri District of North Canterbury, has welcomed two new EV charging points, with the installation of two ChargeNet 75kW chargers at New World Ravenswood. 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. Installing these chargers brings peace of mind to customers in Christchurch’s northern suburbs, encouraging local residents to transition to EVs,” says ChargeNet Network Manager, William Burdon.
“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. 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,” he says.
The charge points have dedicated parking bays, delivering the maximum charge rate and enabling drivers to charge their vehicles quickly and get back on the road with confidence. 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.
The installation at New World Ravenswood is part of ChargeNet’s commitment 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, says Burdon, supports the growing demand for EV charging infrastructure in the region, as well as its transition to low-carbon transport modes.
“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,” says William Burdon.
The owner-operators of New World Ravenswood, 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. We continue to look at ways we can reduce the impact of our operations and reduce reliance on fossil fuels.”
The rapid charging stations were jointly funded by ChargeNet and EECA, with co-funding from EECA’s Low Emission Transport Fund (LETF).
Camilla Cochrane, EECA’s Manager Transport, says EECA is committed to the next phase of growth 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.”
Visit www.charge.net.nz/map to find a rapid-charging station near you. For more information on ChargeNet and to view the site, please visit www.charge.net.nz
