Major Australian shopping centre network Vicinity Centres, which operates big-name centres such as Chadstone and Myer Bourke Street in Victoria, and Queen Victoria Building and Chatswood Chase in Sydney, will add EV charging stations at up to 30 of igts centres across the country.
Vicinity has partnered with French energy company Engie as part of the Australian Renewable Energy Agency’s (ARENA) Future Fuels fund to deliver EV fast-charging stations into carparks across its national portfolio of over 60 shopping centres.
The new partnership, billed as a first of its kind in Australia, is expected to result in one of the most important electric vehicle charging infrastructure programs in Australia, leveraging Vicinity’s numerous shopping centres around the country to roll EV charging at up to 30 centres.
The fast-charging network would use renewable energy to power the EV chargers and provide users the ability to charge their battery capacity up to 80% in under 30 minutes.
Considering that at least one study suggests we spend on average 43-minutes on an average grocery shopping trip – not to mention getting lost in Kmart or Target – the new partnership between Vicinity and Engie could be a dramatic sea change for EV charging deployment.
Given that Chadstone Shopping Centre, for example, attracts more than 20 million visitors annually, the new partnership could deliver on its promise of becoming “one of the most significant and far-reaching electric vehicle charging infrastructures in Australia.”
“Our national portfolio of centres across Australia offers a unique opportunity to provide accessible and convenient fast-charging facilities for our communities to enjoy,” said Justin Mills, Vicinity’s chief innovation & information officer.
“With 66% of the Australian population living within a 30-minute drive of our centres, the rollout out of electric vehicle charging in our car parks will greatly expand the charging infrastructure, paving the way for greater electric vehicle ownership in Australia.
Vicinity expects the first EV fast charging stations to be installed in the coming months, with the remainder planned to be deployed over the following two years.
“Engie is taking a strategic approach to EV charging, working with partners who can help us deliver charging stations that are convenient, safe, and secure for customers,” said Greg Schumann, Engie ANZ Director of Transport and Green Mobility.
Vicinity’s partnership with Engie also follows its early-October partnership announcement with Wing, an Alphabet company – the parent company of Google. Wing, a drone freight delivery company, will partner with Vicinity to pilot a new drone delivery model which would fly goods from shopping centre rooftops directly to Australian customers.
Joshua S. Hill is a Melbourne-based journalist who has been writing about climate change, clean technology, and electric vehicles for over 15 years. He has been reporting on electric vehicles and clean technologies for Renew Economy and The Driven since 2012. His preferred mode of transport is his feet.