Ampol service stations to soon offer EV charging

Electric vehicle fast-charging outlets will soon begin popping up at Ampol service stations around the country, thanks to more than $100 million in funding.

The new rapid-charging bays will be installed at 121 Ampol sites in capital cities including Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Perth, as well as regional hubs such as Newcastle, Gold Coast and Geelong.

And it won’t stop there, with Ampol’s chief executive Matt Halliday saying the company’s minimum $100m investment by 2025 will also go towards “future energy projects” including electricity, hydrogen, gas, biofuels and carbon mitigation.

“I want to look back and be proud that I was part of a generation that transformed the world into a better place with a sustainable future, rather than one that acted too late and too slowly to make a real difference,” said Halliday.

“Ampol feels this responsibility keenly and we have the ability and know-how to meet the changing energy needs of customers into the future.

“Ampol’s infrastructure, national network, brand and strong relationships with customers make us well placed to work with businesses, governments and motorists on the energy transition.”

Halliday said Ampol will soon commence work on introducing its EV charging network – which will see two rapid 50kW fast-charging outlets at each site – to “reduce range anxiety and support battery-electric vehicle adoption”.

The project recently received $7.05 million in funding from the federal government’s Australian Renewable Energy Agency.

Other groups to benefit from ARENA’s latest $26.8m funding announcement were Evie Networks, Chargefox, Engie and Electric Highway Tasmania.

Elsewhere, Halliday said the company’s work in establishing hydrogen as an alternative fuel was “progressing strongly” as a lack of refuelling infrastructure impedes the take-up of hydrogen fuel-cell electric vehicles such as the Hyundai NEXO and Toyota Mirai.

“Ampol’s work includes a partnership with Main Sequence and the CSIRO to support the launch of a new Australian clean energy storage start-up – Endua – to develop a hydrogen-based microgeneration and storage technology solution that can displace traditional fuels,” he said.

“We are also piloting a green hydrogen production plant at Lytton (Qld), highlighting the important role existing infrastructure and manufacturing skills will play in supporting the energy transition.”