Circle K to open EV charge spots at New Zealand stores

Thursday, 30 September 2021

Circle K is bringing EV chargers to some of the 100-plus convenience stores it wants to open in NZ.

Circle K, one of the world’s largest convenience store brands, has just announced plans to open more than 100 outlets in New Zealand, some of which will get purpose-built EV charging and petrol stations.

Iqubal Basra, Circle K NZ’s site development director, said the next decade will see a seismic shift in the convenience and oil retail areas as new technology emerges and brands focus on a sustainable growth platform.

BP Redcliffs owner Robert Jiang, who owns an electric vehicle and has installed a fast EV charger at his petrol station, predicts fossil-fuelled vehicles will only be around for another 20 years.

“The growth in EVs is set to impact the way fuel outlets are designed, and to address that change, Circle K NZ is planning to transform the New Zealand retail fuel market - opening some of the first purpose-built EV charging and petrol stations at sites around the country as the industry closely watches how the EV trend will reinvent the traditional petrol station.

“We’re now actively searching for service station sites and operators throughout New Zealand that will be designed specifically to accommodate the local growth in the country’s EV fleet,” he says.

**READ MORE:

Speeds and capacities are yet to be announced, but more EV chargers is always a good thing.

* ChargeNet to add three more 300kW hypercharger sites

* New Zealand's EV charging network continues to expand

ChargeNet is also expanding its offerings with more 300kW hyperchargers.

* What is the Government doing to encourage EV uptake?

* Petrol station owner drives an EV, considering voting Green

Not all the Circle K stores will be converted to EV stations, as the brand is ideally after 200m2 of space that can be open 24 hours. However, it can work with smaller footprints or operate on reduced hours in rural or lower-traffic areas.

There are also hurdles in resource consents and being able to supply enough power for EV chargers.

Charging speeds of the EV sites is yet to be confirmed, as is how many cars can use the chargers at once, although fast chargers are being targeted.

Considering Circle K is discussing them at the same time as traditional petrol stations, there’s a chance the sites could charge six or more cars at once, in the same way six or more combustion cars can refuel at the same time.

Elsewhere, ChargeNet is expanding its offerings after Mercuria, a Geneva-based energy trading company that has turned over more than $US100 billion in revenue, took a 20 per cent stake in the company.

The extra capital will allow ChargeNet to accelerate its growth strategy, scaling up its existing network and fast-tracking the expansion of the 300kW hyperchargers.

Already confirmed sites for the hyperchargers include the Waikato, Wellington and Queenstown. Two 300kW chargers will be installed at each area, able to charge up to six EVs per site simultaneously, four CCS vehicles at up to 300kW, along with two CHAdeMO at up to 62kW.