Tesla recharges its offer to district council
Tesla, one of the main electric car manufacturers, is offering to pay for five charging stations to be put in across six parking spaces at the Puke Ariki car park off St Aubyn St.
The growing number of electric vehicle owners will continue to avoid Taranaki unless new car charging points are installed, a green transport advocate says.
Stephen Hobo-Tuck, organiser of New Plymouth’s annual Electricarna festival of electric vehicles (EV), was speaking after Tesla recharged an offer that New Plymouth District Council rejected last year.
The city has only one EV charging station, in the central New Plymouth New World car park, but more electric vehicles are being sold every year.
Tesla, one of the main electric car manufacturers, is offering to pay for five charging stations to be put in across six parking spaces at the Puke Ariki car park off St Aubyn St.
Three stations would be exclusively for Tesla vehicles, although the company says it is committed to making all of its EV chargers universal in the near future.
Tesla would pay the six-figure installation and maintenance costs in return for occupying the spaces for five years, with the option to renew for two further five-year periods.
New Plymouth District Council (NPDC) was unable to say how much parking revenue it would lose.
The council is seeking public comment until the end of the month before going any further.
Hobo-Tuck said he would ‘‘absolutely’’ back the revised offer.
EV owners were put off visiting Taranaki because of the lack of charging infrastructure, he said, and most people driving between Wellington and Auckland would go ‘‘straight up the middle’’.
‘‘We’re out on a limb here.’’
More charging stations would encourage more visitors and help the local economy, he said.
Last year, Tesla sought an agreement to occupy four car parking spaces on either Molesworth St, Powderham St, or Gill St for up to 15 years.
The council would have lost $5400 a year in revenue from Molesworth St, $15,000 from Powderham, and $20,000 from Gill St.
Councillors were told that in other parts of the country Tesla had set up charging stations with private landowners.
With pressure on city centre parking, and Tesla making no offer to share income from the proposed charging stations, the offer was rejected so council officers could investigate options by November.
Juliet Johnson, NPDC acting general manager planning, said the Puke Ariki site was considered suitable ‘‘because it is safe, well lit, and easy to find and close to public amenities’’.
‘‘Our first priority is to get feedback from the public on the idea for the mayor and councillors to consider.’’
In a statement, NPDC mayor Neil Holdom appeared warm to the idea, saying it would help the council achieve its climate response goals and ensure ‘‘the growing number of people wanting to charge up don’t have to wait in line for extended periods of time’’.
Tesla’s PR team in Australia failed to respond to an email.