BP EVO Gigahub™ | Christchurch Airport
Client: BP New Zealand
Project Type: Commercial, Cost Management, Community, Design & Build, Engineer To Contract, Fuel, Infrastructure
Project Manager: Dan Bradley, Dan Roberts
Location: Christchurch Airport
BPM was engaged by BP as Engineer to Contract and Project Manager to deliver the BP EVO Gigahub™ at Christchurch Airport — a landmark project and BP’s first Gigahub™ in the Southern Hemisphere.
This 150kW electric vehicle charging hub features 12 fast EV charge points, with future expansion capacity to meet increasing demand for EV infrastructure across New Zealand. Constructed by Naylor Love, the project was designed and delivered in just five months through BPM’s leadership in programme optimisation, staged consenting, and early procurement of civil works, ensuring speed without compromising quality.
Officially opened by Christopher Luxon, alongside BP New Zealand Head of Country Haley Mahoney and Christchurch Airport CEO Justin Watson, the Gigahub™ is strategically positioned to support airport users, rideshare operators, and the wider Christchurch community. Drivers benefit from a seamless charging experience via the BP Charge app, as well as convenient access to food, fuel, and barista-made coffee.
This project highlights BPM’s expertise in delivering complex, fast-tracked infrastructure and reinforces our role in enabling a variety of transport solutions from traditional fuel to supporting both immediate project outcomes and New Zealand’s long-term transition to electric mobility.
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Delivering a first-of-its-kind EV charging hub in New Zealand meant approaching the challenge of balancing a first for New Zealand with technical, logistical, and stakeholder demands all running simultaneously - with no margin for delay on a programme that was tight from day one.
Design and programme alignment
Under a Design & Construct model, the detailed services design was still being finalised when the project needed to break ground. Waiting for full design sign-off before starting civils would have added weeks to the programme.A live, operational environment
The site sits adjacent to both Christchurch International Airport and an active BP Connect service station. Construction had to proceed without disrupting either. The service station remained open throughout the entire build, meaning public safety and site access had to be maintained at all times - adding a layer of coordination and risk management not typical of a greenfield construction project.A multi-party stakeholder environment
Getting a new EV charging facility live requires more than just building it. BPM managed relationships and approval processes across Christchurch International Airport Limited (CIAL) as landowner, the local electricity network provider for grid connection, BP's energy retailer for metering and account activation, and the adjacent bp service station team. Each party had their own requirements and timelines. Keeping them all aligned without losing momentum on the build was a central part of BPM's role.Staged consenting
With a compressed programme, traditional linear consenting would have created unnecessary hold-ups. A staged approach was required to keep construction and approvals moving in parallel.
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BPM Project Managers Dan Roberts and Dan Bradley led delivery across every phase, with a focus on resolving issues before they had a chance to affect the programme.
Civil works first
BPM made the early call to progress groundworks, foundations, underground conduits, and below-ground infrastructure while the detailed services design was still being finalised. This decision - informed by experience on complex infrastructure projects - kept the programme moving and meant the site was ready to receive electrical and charging infrastructure the moment design was confirmed.Staged consenting
Consents were structured and submitted in line with confirmed work packages, not held until the entire design was locked. This kept approvals tracking with construction progress and avoided the delays that come from treating consenting as a single end-to-end process.Contractor performance management
With Naylor Love Canterbury as the main contractor, BPM maintained tight oversight of programme, quality, and sequencing - holding the contractor accountable to milestones while proactively coordinating across all active work fronts.Stakeholder coordination as a core workstream
Managing CIAL, the network provider, the energy retailer, and the service station team wasn't incidental to delivery - it was a dedicated workstream in its own right. BPM kept all parties aligned, managed their individual approval timelines, and ensured that grid connection, metering activation, and site access were sequenced correctly to support the overall programme.
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New Zealand's Most Significant Investment in Public EV Charging Infrastructure
The BP Charge Gigahub™ at Christchurch International Airport opened with 12 publicly accessible ultra-fast charge points - delivering significant driving range in minutes - and was handed over ahead of schedule, marked by a high-profile public launch attended by the then sitting Prime Minister and the Mayor of Christchurch.
The facility is the first of its kind in the Southern Hemisphere and represents one of the most significant investments in public EV charging infrastructure New Zealand has seen.
Built for the future, not just today
The site was designed from the outset to support expansion. All groundworks and power infrastructure for additional chargers were installed during this phase, meaning BP can scale up capacity with minimal disruption as EV adoption grows - a critical consideration as New Zealand's public charging network continues to develop.Sustainability outcomes delivered
The Gigahub™ directly supports Christchurch Airport's electrification pathway - CIAL has operated a fully electric corporate fleet since 2017 and is targeting a fully electrified airport fleet by 2030. The facility reduces range anxiety for EV drivers across Canterbury, positions Christchurch Airport as a gateway for sustainable travel, and contributes to BP's global strategy of supporting customers regardless of their choice of vehicle powertrain.Operational continuity maintained
Throughout the five-month build, the adjacent bp service station remained open and fully accessible to the public. All disturbed ground areas were fully reinstated on completion, and the site was handed over in a clean, compliant condition.
Why This Matters for New Zealand's EV Infrastructure Programme
The New Zealand Government has committed $50 million to double the country's public EV charging network. Projects of this scale and complexity - involving network providers, landowners, local authorities, energy retailers, and main contractors - require experienced client-side project management to be delivered on time, on budget, and to a standard that supports long-term investment.
BPM has demonstrated, on one of New Zealand's most visible EV infrastructure projects, exactly what that looks like in practice.
As New Zealand accelerates investment in public EV charging infrastructure to meet growing demand and national targets, BPM is uniquely positioned to support clients across the full lifecycle of fuel, EV, and sustainability projects.
From strategic network planning and site selection through to fast-tracked consenting, procurement, and delivery, BPM enables the rapid rollout of scalable, future-ready charging solutions.
Our expertise extends to integrating EV infrastructure with existing fuel assets, supporting public–private partnerships, and designing hubs that meet both current demand and future expansion. With a proven track record delivering complex infrastructure at pace, BPM helps clients unlock investment, reduce risk, and deliver practical outcomes that support the transition to a low-emissions transport future in New Zealand.
Get in touch with BPM today and let’s power the next generation of infrastructure - together.
Smarter, Faster, Future Ready Outcomes.
From traditional fuel infrastructure to cutting-edge EV charging hubs, we bring the expertise to manage complexity, reduce risk, and accelerate delivery.