EV charging hub takes off

Meridian Energy has opened a fast-charging hub at Auckland Airport, marking a milestone in the company’s efforts to support New Zealand’s transition to more sustainable transport.

The hub is located at the Auckland Airport Shopping Precinct and features five DC fast chargers up to 160kW. Each one has two charge points to ensure 10 vehicles can replenish their batteries at once.

Meridian notes there is dynamic power allocation to reduce wait times and maximise efficiency, and two chargers are designed and prioritised for drivers with greater accessibility needs, such as wheelchair users.

A drive-through charger for EVs towing trailers, boats or caravans is also available and the site offers room to grow, with space to add more chargers as demand increases.

Joanna Yip, Meridian’s public charging product manager, says: “As New Zealand’s largest city and the leader in EV adoption, Auckland is the ideal place for us to launch Meridian’s first fast-charging hub.

“Auckland Airport is a high-traffic gateway for both locals and international visitors, so it’s the perfect location to showcase our commitment to decarbonisation and driver-centric design.”

She adds the hub, which officially opened on July 8, has been designed to tackle pain points for drivers, especially queuing.

It also comes as Meridian aims to become the largest public EV charging provider in the country. 

“We’ve listened to the EV community and built a site that’s accessible, efficient and supporting communities to decarbonise,” says Yip.

Every kilowatt delivered at the hub is matched with certified renewable energy generated by Meridian’s hydro stations and wind farms, ensuring every charge supports renewable energy generation.

Charging at the new site also helps fund community decarbonisation projects through Meridian’s certified renewable energy programme.