Victorian government to fund more than 15 new EV chargers in state’s north west

The Victorian government will fund the deployment of more than 15 additional electric vehicle chargers across the state’s north-west region, as part of an effort to improve electric vehicle access in the state’s regional areas.

The Victorian government will contribute $664,000 towards the installation of the charging stations, which will help link regional towns across regional Victoria, which it hopes will make the region more attractive to tourists travelling with electric vehicles.

The chargers will be rolled out across regional hubs, including the towns of Ouyen, Swan Hill, Kerang, Maryborough and Echuca, as well as commonly visited tourist sites, and is part of a $2.7 billion package of infrastructure investment being made by the Victorian government.

The locations of the chargers had previously been identified by a ‘Charging the Regions‘ report, prepared by the Central Victorian Greenhouse Alliance and the region’s local governments, that sought to identify priority electric vehicle infrastructure needs.

Victorian energy minister Lily D’Ambrosio said the new charging infrastructure would build upon an earlier roll out of more than 30 electric vehicle chargers, that have been supported by $3 million in state government funding, and would help position Victoria as an EV leader.

“The new electric vehicle charging stations will put this region on the map for electric vehicles – connecting Melbourne to Mildura and unlocking north west Victoria for electric vehicle tourists and locals alike,” Victorian energy, environment and climate change minister Lily D’Ambrosio said.

“More Victorians will be driving electric vehicles in the future, that’s why we’re building the infrastructure to meet this demand.”

Victorian Labor’s local member for Northern Victoria, Mark Gepp, said that the deployment of additional charging infrastructure would support the increased uptake of electric vehicles, which was delivering a wider economic boost for Victoria.

“The increased uptake of electric vehicles has clear benefits for local communities, and building these stations will create local jobs and deliver an important economic boost for Victoria’s north west,” Gepp said.

“Building charging stations in regional areas will boost tourism, reduce carbon emissions and help us build a cleaner, more sustainable future.”

The Victorian government is currently progressing the development of a Zero Emissions Vehicle Roadmap, which is expected to be released before the end of 2020 and will outline the role electric vehicles can play in helping the state achieve its target of zero net emissions by 2050.