AI artist’s impression
Queensland will add 44 EV chargers in more than 30 towns, co-funded by $10 million from the state government and several charger operators.
The five companies will match the government’s funding. Construction will occur over the next 18 months, with all EV chargers expected to be in place by the end of 2024.
Last Thursday, Minister for Transport Mark Bailey announced that Evie Networks, ENGINE, the NRMA, the RACQ and Tesla are the partners for this round of the Queensland Electric Super Highway, part of the state’s $55 million Zero Emissions Vehicle Strategy.
With EV registrations in the state passing 20,000, the government said, EV drivers need confidence “road tripping through regional Queensland”.
Sales of EVs nationally approached 40,000 in 2022, and charger queues are becoming problematic in regional towns. In January, the ABC described the problems being experienced in regional NSW.
The government said since the first Super Highway site opened in 2017, there have been more than 106,000 charging sessions, removing around 2841 tonnes of CO2 emissions.
“This will nearly double the amount of Government funded charging sites, expanding the facilities into regional areas”, Bailey said.
“By the time the new stations are up and running, our State will have one of the widest spread charging networks in the country”.
In the previous Phase 3 round of the Super Highway, 24 fast chargers were added, bringing the total number of chargers to 55. Last May, the government announced 31 charge stations would be built in Western Queensland.
The EV Council says that in December, there were 4943 chargers Australia-wide in 2392 locations, up more than 1500 from December 2021.
The new chargers will be in Agnes Water (multiple), Airlie Beach (multiple), Alpha, Atherton, Biloela, Bowen, Bundaberg (multiple), Cairns (multiple), Calliope, Coochin Creek, Dalby (multiple), Gayndah, Gladstone, Goomeri, Gympie, Hervey Bay (multiple), Ingham (multiple), Mackay (multiple), Maroochydore, Maryborough, Mitchell, Monto, Moranbah, Nanango, Ormeau, Palmview, Pentland, Rockhampton (multiple), Toowoomba (multiple), Townsville (multiple), Tully, Warwick, and Yandina.
Got an EV and need to get your head around EV Charging: speeds, connectors and day-to-day practicalities? Then Finn’s ‘EV Charging 101‘ is everything an Australian EV owner needs to know about charging at home and on the go.