Electric vehicle (EV) owners have more spots to recharge in Alexandra, thanks to a local construction firm.

Breen Construction has installed six high-speed EV charging stations in their Russell Street car park. 

The initiative is part of a commitment by the company to make carbon reduction a reality for its people, communities and clients.

The chargers are publicly accessible and the first step is to download The Open Loop app, set up pay as you go, then drivers can plug in and recharge.

Breen managing director Lindsay Breen said during the past few years they had been slowly replacing their combustion vehicles with hybrid and EV solutions as part of a commitment to a more sustainable future.

“It’s about working towards reducing the impact our business, and our industry, has on the planet.

“When we thought about these charging stations, we thought not just about how it would help Breen but also how good it would be to provide more options for electric vehicle owners in Alexandra.”

The parking spots for EVs have a blue and white icon painted on the asphalt. PHOTO: Breen Construction website

The EV charging stations are available 24 hours a day, every day of the week. 

According to EVDB (Electric Vehicle Database) statistics as of the end of March 2025, there are about 83,000 fully electric light vehicles - plus around 37,000 plug-in hybrids- in New Zealand.

NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA) defines an EV as an electric motor that is powered by a battery which is charged by an external source of electricity.

There are two main types of EVs, battery electric vehicles (BEVs) powered by a battery only and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) that have two engines, one powered by a battery that is charged externally, the other is fuel powered and generally uses petrol or diesel.

Conventional forms of petrol hybrids are not considered EVs as they are not charged by ‘plugging in’. Their batteries are only charged by re-capturing energy when braking or from electricity generated by the engine.

In April 2017, NZTA set a vision for a nationwide coverage of fast/rapid direct current (DC) charging stations every 75kms across the state highways.

View a map of the local EV charging around Central go to The Central App under communities. EV Charging

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