Mitre 10 and Jolt have unveiled the first of what will become a partnership network of 30 electric vehicle fast-charging stations around New Zealand.
Transport minister Michael Wood attended the unveiling of the first Jolt fast-charging station at the Mitre 10 Ponsonby store located on Richmond Road, where he spoke about the Government’s national charging plan.
The Ponsonby installation represents the first step in both organisations’ national EV charging networks which will roll out over the next three years. Using the Jolt network EV drivers can receive 7kWh of fast free charging every 24 hours, providing 40-50km of range and saving drivers more than $1,100 per year. Both Mitre 10 and Jolt say they have plans to extend their charging networks further across the country.
Mitre 10 says it will install charging stations at all stores not covered within the Jolt partnership, while Jolt has plans for hundreds of chargers to be rolled out in urban and destination areas across New Zealand. Mitre 10 chief legal and property officer Grant Fraser says the decision to install charging stations at all Mitre 10 stores was driven by a desire to support regional customers as well as city dwellers. “We’re invested in our communities right across the country. Bringing EV charging stations to all Mitre 10 stores is another way we’re working to help our customers live more sustainably, especially given driving distances to stores in regional New Zealand are often greater than in metro areas, Fraser says. “Supporting customers looking to lower their carbon emissions is just one part of our sustainability commitment. We’re also working with each of our independently owned small-medium member businesses to help them measure and manage their carbon emissions. It’s a complex exercise, but absolutely necessary to enable us to focus on where reductions can be made across the co-operative. “We’re really pleased to be the first retail partner for Jolts entry into the New Zealand market, and we’re grateful for the investment Jolt is making in helping us support our customers,” he says.
“We are excited to bring Jolt to New Zealand,” says Jolt chief executive Doug McNamee The largest barriers to EV ownership are cost, range anxiety and access to charging infrastructure – our network is designed to alleviate all three.
“We want to continue collaborating with brands like Mitre 10 and with like-minded partners to create a large and leading EV charging network that provides the best charging experience at an affordable price for all EV drivers in New Zealand.”
“The first Jolt charger installation in collaboration with Mitre 10 marks a pivotal milestone as we’re contributing the country’s focus on reducing carbon emissions and supporting EV drivers with our free, fast charging network to help resolve the barriers to EV adoption,” Jolt New Zealand country manager Chris Monaghan says.
We will be continuing the roll out of the EV charging network consistently from now on and you’ll start seeing more Jolt chargers across urban New Zealand,” he says.
