This week Western Australian Premier, Mark McGown announced their state was building the longest continuous EV fast-charging network in the world, spanning more than 6,600 km.
JET Charge has won the contract to provide 98 EV chargers at 49 locations across WA. The first charging station is expected to be installed this November, with the full rollout to be fully operational by 2024.
If we look at the South Australian side of the equation, the SA government awarded $12.4M to the RAA to construct and operate Australia’s first statewide electric vehicle (EV) rapid charging network. The network will comprise 536 fast and rapid chargers across 140 electric vehicle charging stations in 55 rural, regional and metropolitan service locations. Construction is expected to commence in the latter part of 2022, with the completion of the charging network to be finalised by the end of 2023.
This means by 2024, the two states will combine to have a charging infrastructure that can support one of Australia’s most popular road trips, Adelaide to Perth, where you’ll cross the Nullabor Plain.
If we take a look at Plugshare.com today and filter for fast chargers that offer recharging speeds of 50kW or higher, it’s clear that you’d have an incredibly difficult time making it to your destination. Some brave EV owners have embarked on this journey, staying overnight to charge, but practically, most won’t even considering it, until the charging infrastructure is in place.
Today, the closest two fast chargers are the Clare Valley Tesla Supercharger (74a Main N Rd, Clare, Australia, 5453) and the Caiguna Roadhouse (232 Mile Peg, Caiguna WA 6443, Australia), separated by 1,487 km. Even if you found yourself in the longest-range EV on the market in Australia today, the Model 3 Long Range, it has a range of 602km (WLTP), you will need 3-4 charges to make that distance.
While 2024 is still a couple of years away, it is promising to see this kind of investment provide confidence to those considering an electric vehicle whose charging availability is being addressed and improving all the time.
