Lifestyle EV Charging Stations

2 Minute Read
1 September 2021

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Australia’s network of electric vehicle (EV) charging stations is growing rapidly. From urban carparks to interstate freeways, hundreds of charging stations are already installed across Australia and that number is ever-increasing.

As the average Australian motorist drives 33km per day, and a second-generation Nissan LEAF e+ has an indicative driving range of up to 385km*, an urban driver could drive for a week on one charge. Also, given that the average EV driver actually does 80% of their charging at home¹, an EV makes a lot of sense for day-to-day urban commuting.

In saying that, Australia is a big country where drivers sometimes undertake great distances. So, it’s understandable that the availability of public charging stations is a key consideration for many drivers thinking about going electric.

Both the public and private sector recognise that a comprehensive charging network is vital to the future of electric cars in Australia. Week by week, public charging stations are being installed in carparks of major shopping centres, office buildings and hotels, as well as on streets and highways across the country, and this number continues to grow².

Given the vast size of Australia compared to markets such as Europe or Japan, ensuring our roads have the infrastructure to enable EVs to make long journeys is of unique importance. Thanks to initiatives such as the Queensland government’s Electric Superhighway project connecting Brisbane to Port Douglas³ and efforts from NRMA in NSW a lot of this work has already been done. 

The private sector is also innovating to enhance Australia’s charging network locations and speeds. Chargefox, a Melbourne-based company has completed installing Australia’s first ultra-rapid charging network. The network of 22 charging stations connects to the QLD government’s Electric Superhighway³, allowing motorists to drive from Brisbane to Sydney, Sydney to Melbourne and Melbourne to Adelaide. Charging at speeds of up to 350kW, they are some of the fastest in the world—capable of delivering up to 400km of range in 15 minutes. This is also future-proofing the network as EVs continue to develop to take faster and faster charge rates. All charging stations are powered by renewable energy, meaning long-distance road trips create virtually no emissions.

Local councils are also following suit in major cities. Street-side charging stations can be found in most local council areas, in addition to shopping centres and workplaces.

When embarking on a long drive or planning a commute, it’s easy to locate charging points along the way using these online tools: