Perth and Carnarvon have joined the WA EV Network, hailed as Australia’s longest electric vehicle charging network, after the opening of new fast charger installations this week.
In Perth, a new EV fast charger was officially opened by state energy minister Bill Johnston. It offers a single 150kW charger that allows drivers the ability to top up their EVs in around 20 minutes. Charging rates vary between 30c for the slow charger and 60c a kilowatt hour, but there is also a $1 a minute idle fee to discourage lingerers.
There is only one bay for the fast charger, but there is also a backup 7.6kW charger for those who might want to picnic or go for a walk while they wait.
The new charger finally links Perth into the larger WA EV Network that spreads north to south and links the vast state’s regional towns.
Horizon Power, WA’s regional and remote energy provider, on Thursday also opened its Carnarvon EV charging site, at the town’s visitor centre, the 10th to go live on the WA EV Network. The 150kW DC fast charger will cost 60c/kWh while a back-up 22kW AC charger will cost 35c/kWh.
Horizon Power says EV charging stations are opening soon in Exmouth, Karratha, Esperance and Denham, with construction also starting in Warmun, Kununurra and Derby. Â
When completed, the WA EV Network is expected to stretch over 7,000 kilometres from Kununurra in the north to Esperance in the south and east to Eucla, and will consist of 98 new EV charging stations across 49 locations, ensuring that travel routes average less than 200 kilometres between charging stations.
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.