More DC fast chargers rolled out in outback towns as part of national network

In April, following the release of the federal government’s national EV strategy, the government announced a new national fast-charging network allowing Australian EV owners to travel further without range anxiety.

At that time, 117 new fast-charging sites were selected and NRMA was awarded the contract to roll these out. 

More details on some of these sites, particularly remote sites in Northern Territory (NT) are coming to light. According to EV enthusiast Hunter Murray, two sites are currently under construction in the NT towns of Tennant Creek and Alice Springs.

This was shared on a post on Linkedin.

These chargers are to have a power output of 180 kW and Murray says that the construction will be finished by next month.

Of particular interest will be the set-up at remote sites where there is no grid, and where NRMA and its suppliers will need to come up with their own energy supply, storage and back-up solutions.

This national fast charging program, when announced earlier this year, had a goal to fund sites that will help meet the government’s target of having fast charging stations on average 150 km on the national highways across every state and territory.

Back in April, the minister for climate change and energy, Chris Bowen, said the government was looking at rolling out a vast network of fast-charging stations across the nation for more Australians:

“We’re making range anxiety a thing of the past. This project will help close the gaps and known black spots in the network and make it possible to drive from Darwin to Perth, Broken Hill to Adelaide, and from Brisbane to Tennant Creek in the NT.”

As part of this project, proposed sites in the NT included:

• Adelaide River
• Alice Springs
• Baines
• Birdum
• Davenport
• Delamere
• Elliot
• Ghan
• Katherine
• Mataranka
• Ranken
• Tablelands
• Ti Tree
• Warumungu
• Yulara

The federal government’s national charging infrastructure plan is complementing the state and territory charging initiatives currently being deployed, allowing drivers to have access much bigger network in many parts of the country.

We are now seeing these national sites under construction which will give current and future EV drivers more confidence that there will be a charging station across the country, wherever they choose to travel in the coming years.