New EV charging station to be launched at Ruralco

ARTIST’S IMPRESSION

Ruralco and Meridian are joining forces to install an electric charging station at Ruralco’s Ashburton store site.

WORDS BY ANITA BODY

It’s planned the EV charging station will be open for business in late Autumn and it will be located on the Burnett Street side of the Ruralco farm supplies store premises. Ruralco Group CEO, Robert Sharkie says that establishing the charging station is a great opportunity for members and the wider Ashburton community as well as those passing through the district. “We have been investigating EV charging for some time. We are always scanning the international market to see what is on offer, exploring different fuel/energy source options and the potential benefits for our members. We want to ensure we stay ahead of the needs of all our members and if this charging station trial proves successful, we would consider it for other Ruralco locations.” Ruralco’s Energy Sales Manager, Tracey Gordon said there will be plenty of promotion and celebration when the charging station is opened. Tracey says “This is an opportunity for Ruralco to be forward thinking and to take a closer look at a sustainable carbon footprint. We care about the environment and the wider benefits for our community, and we are looking towards the future to provide benefits for our members.” Rob Sharkie comments “We recognise the options for electric vehicles for farm use is still relatively limited, but the expectation is that we will see this increase as car manufacturers continue to develop their models to meet farmer’s needs.” Additionally, the Government rebates on offer make it an attractive option. Currently the Government’s Clean Car Discount encourages the purchase of electric or low CO2 emission light vehicles by offering rebates on eligible imported vehicles, and subject to controversial legislation plans, there could be even greater incentives for motorists to take a closer look at electric vehicles in the coming months. In addition to the environmental benefits, there are also economic benefits for the local community by establishing a charging station close to the middle of town. One of the criteria for the Ruralco and Meridian partnership was that the site had to be a place where people loved to go such as a popular shopping area, as well as having high traffic levels. Tracey said finding a spot or an area which was easy for motorists to access, while still being close to the middle of town was the key to the proposal. “We believe our site ticks all of the boxes. People can shop at the Ruralco store or with one of the many Ruralco suppliers around town while their vehicle is charging.” Plans are also underway to beautify the spot so motorists

IMAGE: An artist’s impression of the proposed EV charging station at the Ruralco Ashburton store

can use the site to take a break and have a coffee and a bite to eat.

There will be four charging points via two charging stations at the site. The 22kW AC chargers will be available free of charge for the first 12 months of the trial, with this being reviewed at the end of the first year. The team at Meridian will be responsible for the implementation and managing the EV chargers on a day-to-day basis and will offer full support via its Christchurch based call centre. Their customer service team will be available to answer any queries, and Ruralco will ensure it has a contact person in store to help connect customers to the right person if they need. This partnership is one of several Meridian has been involved in and builds on the longstanding partnership Ruralco has had with Meridian over many years. It is a testament to both organisations’ focus on delivering excellent customer service while also keeping an eye on the future and anticipating their customers’ ongoing needs. There will be more information about the launch of the Burnett Street EV charging station closer to the launch date, the Ruralco website and social media pages will provide updates through the process.