Power pole-mounted public EV charger rollout begins in Sydney
Climate Change and Energy Minister Chris Bowen kicks off innovative on-street electric vehicle charging projectA new government-backed electric vehicle charging trial has gone live in Sydney and promises to democratise EV charging infrastructure for all motorists – not just those with off-street parking.
By rolling out power pole-mounted 22kW public EV chargers, the new trial addresses one of the key challenges for many motorists: where to charge.
Several of the new EV charging stations have been installed throughout Sydney’s inner suburbs, with another 41 chargers set for deployment across the Hunter Valley and the city’s Northern Beaches and Eastern Suburbs.
Backed by the federal government-funded Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA), the chargers are supplied by Schneider Electric and all energy is supplied by the Ausgrid electricity network and Origin Energy, delivering “100 per cent accredited GreenPower for the project”, according to the press statement.
To access the chargers – which are enclosed in a “durable and vandal resistant metal case” – EV owners will need to download the Aussie-developed Exploren app.
Federal Minister for Climate Change and Energy, Chris Bowen, launched the new trial this week at inner Sydney’s Wolli Creek, alongside executives from Intellihub, the company behind the streetside EV charging project.
Intellihub CEO Wes Ballantine says the new 22kW charging stations are approachable and pragmatic, and hopes the trial leads to an expansion of the project, which is expected to help guide commercial EV infrastructure rollouts across the state and potentially nationally.
“Power poles line most streets and that presents an enormous opportunity for local communities that will need a range of public charging solutions,” said Ballantine.
“They’re an accessible, safe and practical option for EV charging,” he said, adding that EVs account for almost one in 10 new car sales in Australia today – and one in five in affluent areas around Sydney.
Numerous government incentives and tax breaks have helped the uptake of EVs grow rapidly, both globally and in Australia, but – apart from pricing and range – one of the key sticking points remains a lack of off-street parking/charging areas for many potential buyers.
Some countries have created laws around increasing EV charging infrastructure, such as in Germany where petrol stations must now install EV chargers.
“By 2030, most experts expect that there will be more than one million electric vehicles on Australian roads,” said Ballantine.
“About one in four Australian households don’t have access to off-street parking, so these sorts of public charging solutions are a real necessity.
“EV drivers will be able to book a charging session and then simply drive up, park and charge,” he added.
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