A full list of locations for an ultra-fast charging network that includes sites on the edges of cities and stretches from northern Queensland to Adelaide, Tasmania and Perth has been revealed by Evie Networks.
The first of a 42-strong string of ultra-fast chargers that can add driving range at a rate of up to 350km per 15 minutes – depending on the vehicle – will open at Coochin Creek on the Sunshine Coast in coming weeks.
It will be followed by nine more locations, that are currently under development, by the end of Q1 2020, with chargers spread approximately every 150km in addition to city fringe locations.
“Spacing is important,” head of sales and marketing Geoff Brady tells The Driven.
“When you look at the eastern seaboard, we space at around 150km because it’s important we design a network for all vehicles, not just big battery Teslas,” he says.
“That will cater for all the vehicles on the market to get around.”
The locations, which include 8 in Queensland, 14 in NSW, 2 in the ACT, 8 in Victoria, 4 in South Australia, and 3 in both Tasmania and Western Australia, will compliment rather than compete with existing locations being rolled out by other network providers such as Chargefox.
“We tried to avoid duplicating existing coverage…it’s about filling the gaps,” says Brady.
The first ten locations to roll out will include Sutherland, Yass, Taree and Tarcutta in NSW; Seymour, Mulgrave and Werribee in Victoria; Noarlunga in South Australia; and Coochin Creek and Townsville in Queensland.
On the city fringes of Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane drivers will be able to top up at the Evie Networks ultra-fast chargers before heading out of town.
“One of the unique elements to our network is the clusters around the city,” says Brady. “That way people have confidence to get around.”
With the first site due to go online in a couple of weeks, Evie Networks are aiming to have ten online by Q1 early next year (although they cannot say in which order due to individual site requirements).
Each location has been selected based on a number of factors including accessibility, safety and proximity to conveniences.
“We are believers in making sure the site is adequate for a great charging experience,” says Brady.
Drivers will be able to access the network via an app or RFID card, but Brady says people will also be able to use the network on an ad hoc basis.
“We have the Evie app ready to download for our first site, and we have RFID cards but have philosophy of an open network so you can pay per use,” he says.
How much it will cost per kWH of energy will be announces when Evie’s first site goes in November – but expect it to be competitive with other networks.
Funded by $15 million from ARENA and $28 million from the St Baker Energy Innovation fund, the each site will at first include two charging heads with 50kW and 350kW chargers from Tritium, with each site prepped for future expansion of up to 6 heads (depending on the site).
“We think Eve customers will love it,” says Brady. “It’s future-proofed technology and just what Australia needs.”
The full list of sites is as follows:
Queensland
- Gordonvale
- Townsville
- Proserpine
- Gympie
- Coochin Creek
- Toowoomba
- Ipswich
- Yatala
NSW
- Tweed Heads
- Maclean
- Nambucca Heads
- Taree
- Newcastle
- Bella Vista
- Edmondson Park
- Hornsby
- Penrith
- Sutherland
- Lithgow
- Marulan
- Tarcutta
- Albury
ACT
- Yass
- Canberra
Victoria
- Seymour
- Calder Park
- Epping
- Mulgrave
- Ringwood
- Rockbank
- Werribee
- Ballarat
South Australia
- Tailem Bend
- Noarlunga
- Adelaide Hills
- Bolivar
Tasmania
- Elizabeth Town
- Campbelltown
- Kempton
Western Australia
- Joondalup
- Midland
- Rockingham
Bridie Schmidt is lead reporter for The Driven, sister site of Renew Economy. She specialises in writing about new technology and has been writing about electric vehicles for two years. She has a keen interest in the role that zero emissions transport has to play in sustainability and is co-organiser of the Northern Rivers Electric Vehicle Forum.
