At Meridian Energy, we are excited to announce the installation of a cutting-edge electric vehicle (EV) charging station at Springs Junction, a vital route between Christchurch and Nelson. This innovative project, one of the first of its kind in New Zealand, has been in the works for over two years and is designed to make road trips in the South Island more accessible for EV drivers, eliminating EV charging deserts.
Meridian Energy pioneers EV charging solution at Springs Junction
NPD Springs Junction, located at 8 State Highway 65, Springs Junction 7895
Overcoming challenges with ingenuity
Tim Calder, Meridian’s Principal Product Manager, shared insights into the project: “It’s been a challenging project that’s required some out-of-the-box thinking.” The remote location of Springs Junction means that the local lines network can only supply this site with enough energy to boil a jug between the hours of 4 am and 11 pm before it starts to impact the power supply for residents. To get around this this, our Zero chargers are supported by three 120 kWh Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) units, which use recycled Nissan Leaf batteries. These BESS units will charge overnight between 11 pm and 4 am, when the pressure on the line networks is at its lowest, before releasing power through the chargers during the day as needed.
Supporting EV drivers on key routes
Having multiple fast charging options on key driving routes is crucial to support electric driving, and these chargers will give EV drivers more opportunity when travelling around the upper South Island.
Because charging at Springs Junction can’t be guaranteed as it can at other sites, Meridian has set up a landing page at zerocharging.co.nz/SJ to provide EV drivers with up-to-date information about the site’s availability. With information updated every 10 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.
Navigating remote challenges
The Springs Junction site faced multiple delays in the commissioning due to the remote location and network restrictions. “Our team had to come up with solutions for scenarios and challenges that we didn’t even know existed. The team at Relectrify were amazing to deal with. With their help, we reconfigured the code in which the BESS units operate on to ensure they would only pull electricity from the grid when there was energy available. It was a massive project, but we’re thrilled to have it live,” said Tim Calder
“We’ll be keeping a close eye on the site to determine whether we need to make any changes to ensure these chargers meet the needs of as many EV drivers as possible. In the meantime, we urge drivers to only take what they need as for now there are limited kWh 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,” said Calder.
A Meridian engineer on site at Springs Junction, sitting under a gazebo working at a table.
Expanding the network
Springs Junction is one of several remote sites where Meridian will be deploying chargers to meet the needs of EV drivers and improve travel throughout the South Island.
In 2022, Meridian was awarded 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 Harihari site has since been moved to The Lonely Stag in Whataroa. With the Kohatu and Springs Junction projects completed, work will soon begin to upgrade the power supply to allow work to begin at the remaining locations, which are expected to go live in 2025.
A step forward in sustainable travel
Our innovative approach to EV charging at Springs Junction is set to make a real difference for EV drivers in the South Island. This complexity of this project reflects our commitment to sustainable energy solutions and highlights the ingenuity and determination of our team. We believe the future is electric, so we’re dedicated to doing our part to support the transition to cleaner transport.
Join us on our journey in making the Aotearoa more accessible for EV drivers.