Wellington City Council has secured almost half a million dollars in funding to roll out 30 electric vehicle (EV) fast chargers across the capital.

The new chargers will be located at Council sites across the city, part of a plan to create a network of chargers throughout the Wellington region in partnership with Hutt City Council and the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority (ECCA).

Currently there are around 3000 electric vehicles in the wider Wellington region, but only 30 charge points in Wellington city – and only 14 of these are fast chargers, able to fully charge a car in under an hour, whereas slow chargers take 5-6 hours.

Wellington City Council Mayor Andy Foster says funding of $498,785 for the Charged Up Capital project is another step in the journey towards reaching the city’s goal of becoming a net carbon neutral capital by 2050.

“Around 35 per cent of Wellington city’s emissions come from road transport, so this is an opportunity to support Wellingtonians who want to transition to an EV but don’t have access to off street parking or garaging. Expanding our charging infrastructure will help provide reassurance for anyone wanting to transition to electric.

“We’re excited to join the Government and Hutt City Council in delivering climate action for Wellington city,” adds Mayor Foster.

It is anticipated there will be significant increased demand for charging stations in the future, driven by the likely growth in electric vehicle numbers as climate action gains pace and costs of EVs reduce.

Mayor Foster says installing EV charging stations is an important part of growing that demand and complements the public transport network, as well as supporting those who commuted out of hours or for whom travelling by bus or train wasn’t possible.

“In Wellington, electric vehicles and car share services combine with New Zealand’s highest level of walking, cycling and public transport use, made possible by our compact city urban form. We continue to be committed to climate action to achieve the city’s targets of becoming a zero carbon capital, a goal supported by the 92 per cent of Wellingtonians surveyed who prioritised climate change action.”

© Scoop Media