Bayside residents without a driveway or off-street power point finally have a practical charging option that doesn’t require a dedicated car park bay or a trip to a shopping centre.
A new pole-mounted EVX charger has gone live on Brixton Road in Cheltenham, bolted straight onto an existing power pole. It is the first of its kind in the municipality and forms part of a 24-month trial that costs Bayside City Council nothing to install or run.
The unit is branded with both RACV and EVX, reflecting the wider partnership between the Victorian motoring club and the Australian charging company that is rolling out dual 22 kW AC chargers across the state.
Why pole-mounted chargers matter
Many Bayside households still cannot charge at home. Renters face landlord restrictions, apartment residents often lack allocated power, and older houses without carports or garages simply have nowhere to plug in. Public fast chargers help for longer trips, but they are usually clustered near shops or activity centres and are not designed for the two-to-four-hour stays that suit daily top-ups near home or work.
The Brixton Road installation targets exactly that gap. Mounted high on the pole, it keeps the footpath clear, creates minimal visual clutter, and operates quietly. Drivers simply bring their own Type 2 cable, open the EVX app (or use RFID), and plug in. Charge times sit in the three-to-nine-hour range depending on battery size and state of charge, making it ideal for overnight or workday sessions rather than rapid top-ups.
Council notes the chargers will sit in residential, recreational or light industrial streets rather than high-turnover retail precincts. That placement matches how people actually use slower AC charging: park, go about their day, and return to a fuller battery.
Tech Specs
Each EVX pole unit delivers dual 22 kW Type 2 sockets. Power comes from the existing grid connection on the pole, so installation is relatively quick and avoids the civil works that come with standalone charging stations. The hardware is Australian-designed and manufactured, built to withstand weather, accidental impact and the usual street-level wear.
Bayside already runs a separate network of faster JOLT chargers in shopping strips. Those 50 kW units offer a free daily 7 kWh allowance and are aimed at short stays while people shop or grab a coffee. The new pole chargers complement rather than compete with that network. One is for destination charging near home; the other is for quick range while out and about.
Nearly one in every two new vehicles sold in Australia recently has been either fully electric or a hybrid. That growth is putting pressure on public infrastructure, especially in established middle-ring suburbs like Cheltenham where many homes pre-date widespread EV ownership.
Trial details and next steps
The Brixton Road charger is on trial for a minimum of 24 months. Two further sites are already earmarked for Sandringham and Hampton East, with community engagement planned before those go ahead.
Because the units sit on existing poles, the visual and physical footprint stays small. Council has previously highlighted the low visual impact as a key advantage for residential streets. Drivers will still need to check local parking restrictions, as the spaces around the charger are expected to carry EV-only or time-limited conditions once signage is finalised.
RACV’s involvement through its Commercial Energy Solutions arm brings both brand recognition and operational experience. The partnership announced in mid-2025 aims to deliver up to 40 dual EVX units across Victoria, starting in the eastern suburbs and expanding into inner-Melbourne councils. Federal ARENA funding has helped accelerate the national rollout of these Australian-made pole chargers.
Practical takeaways for drivers
If you live or work near Brixton Road and lack home charging, this is now a genuine option. Download the EVX app before you arrive, pack a Type 2 cable rated for at least 22 kW, and expect a quieter, slower session than a DC fast charger.
The trial will give Council real usage data on how often the units are occupied, how long sessions last, and whether the residential placement works as intended. That information will shape the next sites and any permanent network expansion.
For suburbs with limited off-street parking, pole-mounted AC chargers are one of the more sensible answers currently available. They turn infrastructure that is already there into something useful without carving up more footpath or converting valuable parking bays into permanent charging monuments.
Bayside’s first unit is now live. The next question is how quickly the rest of the trial sites follow and whether other Melbourne councils accelerate similar installations.
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