It's about to get a lot easier to find a kerbside EV charger in Australia

Kerbside electric vehicle (EV) charging is being amped up in three Australian states, with new funding announced for the installation of 250 metropolitan and regional chargers.

The Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) has committed $2.4 million in funding to EVX Australia for the chargers to be installed in more than 60 local government areas across Victoria, New South Wales and South Australia.

These are Australian-designed and manufactured EV chargers developed by EVX, which are pole-mounted and intended to be a sustainable way to roll out EV infrastructure “while adhering to local electrical and planning regulations”.

ARENA says that by using AC power with “smart charging capability”, EVX chargers have a “low impact” on local electricity grids and are installed on existing utility pole infrastructure, which means there’s no need for disruptive works.

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Minister for Climate Change and Energy Chris Bowen says having chargers in more convenient locations would encourage more people to make the switch to EVs.

“These chargers are a key step to unlocking cleaner, cheaper-to-run EVs for Australians who aren’t able to charge them at home,” he said.

“When we came to government, one in 50 cars was an EV. That’s now one in ten. And we’ve tripled the number of fast-chargers around Australia. But we need a mix of solutions, not just fast-chargers, but more convenient kerbside options around our cities and towns.

“Projects like this, supported by ARENA funding, are helping develop the answers we need to scale.”

Regions that will benefit from the new chargers in NSW include Orange, Wagga Wagga, Bellingen, Forbes, Queanbeyan, Wingecarribee, Goulburn and Eurobodalla.

Australian group Flow Power will be the energy retailer for all 250 sites, with EVX leading the coordination of real-time reporting and working with Ausgrid and Essential Energy to develop “flexible tariff structures”.

Endeavour Energy, SA Power Networks, Ausnet and CitiPower, Powercor and United Energy will also support the rollout.

It’s estimated that more than 1100 fast charging stations with more than 3500 plugs are now available across Australia, while the 250 new kerbside chargers will also provide 500 charge plugs.

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