Hikotron Sparks Up Blenheim with New Public EV Charging Hub

At Hikotron, we’re committed to making electric vehicle charging simple, convenient and accessible across Aotearoa. We’re thrilled to announce the opening of our newest public EV charging hub in Blenheim, the first in New Zealand to feature contactless card payment activation — a game-changer for drivers and visitors alike.

Located in the Wynen Street car park, the hub features four 22 kW AC charge points, each capable of adding around 120 km of range per hour – perfect for shopping, dining, work, sightseeing, or just enjoying Blenheim’s vibrant town centre while your vehicle charges.

Charging Made Effortless

We designed the Blenheim hub with simplicity in mind. Drivers can now start a charging session by simply tapping a contactless credit or debit card — no app download or separate account needed. Our co-founder, Stephanie Smits O’Callaghan, highlights this as a crucial step toward broad EV adoption:

“Contactless card payment is an essential part of EV charging infrastructure for the mass adoption of electric vehicles. It simplifies the process and makes EV charging accessible to everyone.”

Of course, drivers who prefer using the Hikotron mobile app can still start and manage their charging sessions digitally, with real-time monitoring and seamless control from their phone.

Built for Everyday EV Drivers

The Blenheim hub also features our patent-pending self-rescue cable release system, developed after a real-world challenge experienced by our team when a charging cable got stuck in Europe. This innovation ensures that users always maintain control of their charging experience.

Pricing is straightforward — $0.50 per kWh whether activated via the mobile app or contactless card, with a $30 pre-authorisation applied for card payments.

Supporting Regional EV Growth

This new charging hub is part of Hikotron’s broader mission to fill gaps in destination charging across New Zealand, supporting local communities, businesses, and the growing number of EV drivers exploring our beautiful country. We’re grateful for our partnership with the Marlborough District Council in bringing this site to life and helping make EV charging part of everyday life in Blenheim.

Whether you’re a local resident, commuter, visitor or business owner, charging your electric vehicle in Blenheim just got easier and more convenient — and we’re excited to bring more hubs like this to towns and cities nationwide as part of our vision for a more connected and sustainable EV future