Electric milk tanker, high-powered EV charging stations announced
Thursday, 24 February 2022
The country’s first electric milk tanker and electric off-road farm vehicles have been given a Government funding boost.
The developments, which are part of Government’s $6.45 million Low Emission Transport Fund (LETF), will also see new high-powered EV charging stations.
The fund was announced by Minister of Energy and Resources Megan Woods in Christchurch on Thursday.
It includes the country’s first electric milk tank tanker operated by Fonterra, a solar-panelled bus to be built by Bayes Coachlines, electric off-road farm vehicles, and new high-powered EV charging stations.
The four Pickman 4WD, fully electric off-road UTVs will be launched by MyFleet Rural at A&P Shows.
“The LETF is all about finding replicable solutions through innovative transport and infrastructure. The projects included in this round show the potential for electric and low-emissions transport across a wide range of sectors: from all-terrain farm vehicles to heavy freight,” Woods said.
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Thirteen vehicle and technology projects will receive $3.4m and 13 EV charging projects will receive $3m in co-funding.
As part of the fund, a boost to the nationwide electric vehicle charging network has also been confirmed with eight ultrafast chargers in the Auckland CBD, Napier, Whangārei and New Plymouth.
Fast chargers will also be installed in Masterton, Christchurch and Rakaia with an additional 12 ultrafast charges at a number of locations in the upper North Island.
In total, the Government has co-funded more than 1200 public and private EV chargers. The 25 public chargers in this round bring the number of public chargers co-funded to 731, with 561 of those having been installed.
“The EV charging network is growing fast and should give drivers confidence an EV is a great choice, even on long-distance drives. In the last couple of years, we’ve plugged gaps in places like Bombay, Kaiwaka and Tauranga,” Woods said.
“The focus of the LETF is now turning to ensuring any remaining gaps are filled, as we increase density in high-demand areas.”
Climate Change Minister James Shaw said the projects demonstrated the “scale of opportunity for decarbonisation in the transport sector”.
The announcement will see a combined total of $6.45m in government funding for 26 projects across the two rounds, paired with $9.03m in applicant funding.