Adoption of electric cars in Australia is increasing, although at a slower rate than in many other parts of the world. According to one recent report, electric vehicles account for just in Australia, while in some other parts of the world adoption has reached 4.2%.
Power cable pump plug in charging power to electric vehicle EV car with modern technology UI control information display, car fueling station connected power cable alternative sustainable eco energy
One of the things holding back the adoption of electric vehicles is concerns about range. Budget EVs, in particular, have limited range compared to their ICE counterparts. This is compounded by the lack of charging stations in the country. As of early 2022, there were just 3,000 public charging points in the country. Those points aren’t enough to cover the 7.692 million square kilometers of territory and the growing number of electric vehicle owners it holds.
Even some newer EVs have a range of just 200km, and as the batteries get older the real range they offer deteriorates dramatically. This makes it difficult to do longer journeys using an electric vehicle. It also means having charging stations available on shorter city trips is still desirable, so motorists have the ability to top up at any time in an emergency.
We Are Sleepwalking Into a Charging Crisis
Today, EV adoption is low enough that if someone needs to recharge their vehicle mid-journey, they should be able to find a vacant charging point or at the very least wouldn’t have to wait long for one to open up. As EVs become more commonplace, however, this could well change. Even today, touring the country using an electric vehicle is, as this journalist’s experience with spotty mobile coverage and poor range calculations shows.
If EVs are to take off, the experience needs to be more consistent and reliable for the average user. Introducing a much wider net of public charging stations is one way that this can happen.
How Easy Is It To Run Public Charging Stations?
Fortunately, it’s relatively easy for businesses to add public charging stations to their land. If you have an existing car park, installing public charging stations is relatively easy, and it’s possible to set up those stations to charge users a fee for the electricity, giving you an additional revenue stream.
Public charging stations can be an effective way of increasing footfall for your business. They’re particularly lucrative for cafes and diners, where motorists can stop off and ‘refuel’ themselves while they’re charging their cars. Since even fast chargers take some time to top up the batteries of the car, and some cars perform better if they’re given a few minutes to cool down after charging, that gives plenty of opportunity for people to have a coffee or two while they wait.
If you’re interested in fitting chargers in your public space, or you’d like EV charging stations for your employee car park or commercial fleet, why not contact us today to learn more about our options and see how you can help improve the EV charging status shortage in Australia.
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