South Island road trips are about to get easier for EVs, with work to install a charging station at Springs Junction – a key route between Christchurch and Nelson - now underway.
On-site work started last week to install two 50kW DC fast chargers at Springs Junction, west of Lewis Pass.
Meridian expects to have the site complete and ready to go by Christmas.
“It’s been a challenging project that’s required some of out of the box thinking, but we’re within sight of removing this charging blackspot and making travel easier for EV drivers,” says Meridian Head of Energy Innovation, Tim Calder.
“Having multiple fast charging options on key driving routes is crucial to support electric driving, and providing these chargers will give EV drivers much more certainty when they’re travelling around the upper South Island.”
The remote location of Springs Junction means there are extreme limitations on how much electricity can be supplied to the chargers through the local lines network.
Meridian’s ZERO brand chargers will be supported by three 120 kWh BESS (battery energy storage system) units, using recycled Nissan Leaf batteries. The BESS units will only charge overnight between 11pm and 4am when pressure on the lines networks is at its lowest, and then release power through the chargers when needed.
The BESS units will initially store enough power for around 15 charging sessions averaging 22kWhr per day. Charging speeds may vary depending on demand and time of day
“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 is a new location, so we’ll be keeping a close eye on demand and whether we need to make any changes to ensure these chargers meet the needs of as many EV drivers as possible.”
In 2022 Meridian was awarded co-funding from the Low Emissions Transport Fund (LETF) to fill key, challenging sites at Kohatu, Haast, Harihari, Springs Junction and St Arnaud in the South Island.
With the Kohatu project complete and Springs Junction project under construction, the remaining sites are still under development for reasons including limited electricity supply via the local grid, and ongoing negotiations with site owners.
Updates for the remaining sites will be provided as soon as dates for installation can be confirmed.