Western Australia is set to gain more than 30 new electric vehicle charging stations, as part of a $25 million fund to assist in a nationwide rollout.
Western Australia is set to gain more than 30 new electric vehicle charging stations, as part of a $25 million fund to assist in a nationwide rollout.
It is the first round of funding under the federal government’s $72 million Future Fuels Fund initiative, which aims to address barriers to the roll out of new vehicle technologies.
Evie Networks, Ampol, Engie Australia, Chargefox, and Electric Highways Tasmania will share in the grants.
They will install 403 new public fast charging stations for EVs around Australia, with WA to receive 33.
That reflects a seven-fold increase in the number of stations in the country’s most populated cities and regions, ARENA said, with the new stations to be capable of charging two vehicles simultaneously at 50kW or above.
Sydney-based Evie Networks will receive $8.85 million - the biggest of the grants - to install 158 charging stations across eight regions.
Ampol will get $7.05 million, followed by Engie ($6.85 million), Chargefox ($1.4 million), and Electric Highways Tasmania ($400,000).
ARENA had originally committed $16.5 million to the first round of grants but raised this by $8.05 million due to the quality and number of applicants.
“The proposals we received were of such high quality, we were compelled to increase the funding,” chief executive Darren Miller said.
“As the costs of electric vehicles come down, more consumers and fleet users are looking to go electric.
“Expanding the fast-charging network will make it easier than ever to drive an EV in Australia.”
Electric Vehicle Council chief executive Behyad Jafari said the increased number of stations would also have a powerful effect on consumer sentiment.
“We know Australians are very interested in buying electric cars, but there is hesitancy about whether or not the government will back them with infrastructure and supportive regulation,” he said.
"The highly visible construction of hundreds of new fast charging stations across the country should send a powerful message to consumers about the viability and practicality of making the switch to a zero-emission vehicle.
"Mass electric vehicle uptake is strongly in Australia's national interest, given it will clean the air of toxic pollutants, reduce our carbon emissions, and relive our dependence on foreign oil imports.
"If the federal government wants to seize the benefits of accelerating EV uptake, it should support this fast-charging initiatives through consumer incentives and introducing long-overdue fuel emission standards, akin to those enforced in the US and the EU."
NSW will gain 127 new charging stations and Victoria 106, Queensland 86, South Australia 29, Tasmania 10, and Northern Territory 3.
