As electric vehicles (EVs) continue to make inroads in the Australian market, one of the biggest barriers to the concept really taking off is the lack of charging stations … particularly in regional areas.
Earlier this year, the Australian Renewable Energy Agency awarded $24.55 million to support the rollout of over 400 public fast charging stations for EVs, increasing the existing number of public fast charging stations by seven-fold.
Charging stations will be built across eight geographic regions covering 14 of Australia’s most populous cities, with each of the 50 kW charging station capable of charging at least two vehicles at once.
Now, while it may seem far-fetched at the moment, electric vehicle expert Bryce Gaton says it may not be as long as many think until grey nomads are using EVs to tow their big vans into remote Australia.
And, if that is to be the case, caravan parks will be an obvious pace to house charging stations.
Stuart Lamont – CEO of Caravan Industry Association of Australia, is already calling for a grants scheme for caravan parks and other regional accommodation providers to invest in charging stations for electric vehicles.
“Drive tourism accounts for 75% of all tourism in regional areas, charging infrastructure and activating the accommodation sector to install charging points will be crucial to help a long-term regional tourism recovery,” he said. “Caravan parks around Australia are ideally placed, and sometimes the only accommodations in region, to provide EV charging points to travellers.”
Mr Lamont said this would be a great way for the Government to assist in a longer term rebuild of regional tourism following a devastating 20-months, as well as help ease the transition to EVs for regional communities dependent on drive tourism.
“Regional tourism’s biggest barrier is access, and with 2000 caravan parks around Australia, all with the space to add EV chargers, the government should utilise this,” he said. “We know that EV owners base their road trip holidays on where they can charge their vehicle.”
There’s two Tesla charging stations at the Acacia Caravan Park in Ararat, VIC, I haven’t seen anyone use them but bearing in mind a lot of people who stay in caravan parks utilise the cabin accomodation options I’d say these charging stations will probably prove more useful to those types of travellers rather than caravanners.