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National | Ngāi Tahu

Ngāi Tahu Tourism goes electric

One of New Zealand’s leading tourism operators, Ngāi Tahu Tourism, will adopt electric vehicle chargers at some of its businesses, helping to expand the national electric vehicle (EV) charging network.

Ngāi Tahu Tourism is a subsidiary of Ngāi Tahu Holdings, which is governed by Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tahu.

Energy and Resources Minister Megan Woods today announced that Ngāi Tahu Tourism was one of 31 projects to receive co-funding from the government’s Low Emission Vehicles Contestable Fund.

Ngāi Tahu Tourism will partner with ChargeNet to install fast chargers across the Franz Josef Glacier Hot Pools, Shotover Jet in Queenstown and Dart River Adventures in Glenorchy. They will also look at installing chargers at Earth and Sky in Takapō (Tekapo) and Hukafalls Jet in Taupō.

Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tahu Kaiwhakahaere Lisa Tumahai says, “The funding announced today will contribute to the work we do to drive emissions reductions and protect the environment for future generations.”

Ngāi Tahu Tourism Chief Executive Quinton Hall says the new chargers will significantly enhance New Zealand’s charging network and greatly benefit local and international tourists.

“We operate some of Aotearoa’s leading tourism businesses, and ensuring we operate sustainably wherever possible is a guiding principle for us,” says Hall, “These areas are high-profile, widely-visited locations by local and international tourists and will significantly add to the country’s existing infrastructure.  The two chargers at Franz Josef, in particular, will help to fill a key gap in the network on the West Coast.”

ChargeNet is a market leader in EV charging infrastructure in New Zealand, currently managing more than 130 fast chargers around the country.

ChargeNet Chief Executive Steve West says,“We are delighted to be working with Ngāi Tahu Tourism on this project that will add considerably to New Zealand’s charging network as well as provide high visibility of New Zealand’s environmental commitment to the thousands of tourists who visit these sites each year.”

It is expected that most of the charging stations will be installed by June.

For more information about the fund, visit www.eeca.govt.nz/funding-and-support/low-emissionvehicles-contestable-fu...