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Warkworth is set to receive ultra-rapid electric-vehicle charging as Meridian expands its North Island network with 36 new charge points over the coming months.
The town is among six locations identified for ultra-rapid chargers, alongside Hawke’s Bay, Rotorua, Bay of Plenty, Palmerston North and Hamilton.
The expansion comes as the number of motorists regularly using Meridian’s public EV charging network has increased 30% in six months, while the amount of electricity delivered through its chargers has more than doubled year-on-year.
“What’s clear is that EVs are becoming a mainstream choice for Kiwis,” says Meridian chief customer officer Lisa Hannifin.
“The growth isn’t just in vehicle sales, it’s in the number of people regularly using public EV chargers as part of everyday life.”
Hannifin says the growth is being seen in both increasing EV ownership and continued investment in charging infrastructure:
• Figures from EVDB for January to September 2026 show that EV and PHEV sales reached 23.7% market share
• Year on year, the proportion of EVs and PHEVs sold has increased by 166.9%, and 111.6% respectively.
• Meridian’s public charging network has grown to 570 public EV charge-points, with 335 in the South Island and 235 in the North Island.
• Over the last 12 months, the amount of electricity delivered through Meridian’s public EV network has more than doubled compared with the previous year.
“Driving an EV isn’t just a cleaner choice, it can be a smart financial choice too. Using electricity to power both your home and your car creates a real opportunity to reduce your total energy costs,” says Hannifin.
“We want to make it as easy as possible for more Kiwis to take advantage of that.
“We’re on a mission to deliver New Zealand’s largest and most-loved EV network, and it’s encouraging to see just how many Kiwi EV drivers are already tapping into that network and enjoying electric transport.”
