New Zealand's first on-road, solar-powered electric vehicle charger - the Electric Station - is now open to the public.
Located on The Strand in Tauranga, the charger has two allocated car parks and draws energy from 18 solar panels.
When insufficient solar-power is generated, the grid provides back-up power, with any excess solar power being fed back into the grid.
"The Strand was selected as a high-profile location in the heart of the Tauranga CBD where we could prioritise support for EVs and demonstrate the use of solar technology," Mayor Greg Brownless said.
The charger also featured a unique display unit, which showed users how much electricity was being generated from the sun, and how much was coming from the grid.
Powerco Commercial Manager Eric Pellicer said it was an exciting development for Tauranga.
"It provided destination charging in the heart of the city and, with renewable energy being used to power low emission vehicles, it's a double-win for the environment," he said.
Using the latest innovative technology, it was only the second solar-powered electric vehicle charger in the country that was available for public use, and the first to be situated on-road.
The other was situated on private land at the Sustainability Trust in Wellington.
Jo Wills, Sustainability Options Development Manager said they believed in a future which included electric vehicles and renewable energy as the norm.
"We are still early adopters in this space, but it's been a great experience to be a part of laying the foundation that will assist our community to make great choices."
The project partners, which include Tauranga City Council, Powerco, Sustainability Options and My Solar Quotes, believed there were many social and environmental benefits for the community and that this project would highlight Tauranga as a leader in the clean technology space, bringing interest and engagement in sustainability practices to the city.
Kristy Hoare, Director of My Solar Quotes, said creating a beacon for change was the real motivation for this project; all of the project partners, big and small, envisioned combining solar power and electric vehicle charging into one station, within the same location.
"We want the Electric Station to inspire and encourage people from all walks of life to adopt the new, clean technology."
Other sponsors include APsystems, Beca, Suntech, Trustpower and TECT, who have contributed to the project install costs.
What is an EV?
EV stands for electric vehicle, instead of a petrol motor, EVs have an electric motor that is powered by a rechargeable battery.
Why drive an EV?
•Can be charged with renewable energy.
•Only 20 moving parts in an electric engine compared to 2,000 in an internal combustion. Less parts means less maintenance.
•An EV is much cheaper to run compared to combustion engines. Charging an EV is the equivalent of paying *30c per litre for petrol.
•4x more efficient than a combustion engine.
•*95% of daily travel demand is for distances less than 90 km.
•Produces *80% less CO2 emissions compared to a petrol vehicle.
•EVs will help replace petrol and diesel with clean, locally produced energy, reducing our reliance on imported fossil fuels.
For more information about the Electric Station, specifications and background please go to www.tauranga.govt.nz and search for 'electric vehicles'.