The rollout of electric vehicle charging stations into regional areas is continuing apace.
The RAA has just opened its second ‘super site’ in South Australia, with nine EV charging bays located in the heart of the state’s South East, Mount Gambier.
The 200kW Charging Hub will provide EV drivers traveling to and through the South East, with Ultra-rapid charging facilities capable of charging an EV in as little as 10 to 40 minutes.
RAA CEO, Nick Reade, said the Mount Gambier Charging Hub marks the completion of RAA’s two planned super sites in its 140-site network, following the launch of a similar eight-bay Charging Hub in Port Pirie earlier this month.
The new charging hub in Mount Gambier. PIC: RAA
“As EV ownership continues to grow in SA and across the border, South Australia’s charging infrastructure will need to keep pace, and that’s exactly why we are building these larger sites along key destination routes,” Mr Reade said. “The South East is already an extremely popular tourist destination for South Aussies and visitors traveling from interstate, and the launch of this super-site will certainly put Mount Gambier on the map for EV drivers.”
He said that the sites would be well used by interstate travellers.
“We know from data released by the South Australian Tourism Commission, that 95 per cent of domestic overnight visitors traveling to the South East are ‘self-drive’ visitors,” Mr Reade said. “In building the RAA Charge network, we want to eliminate range anxiety for South Aussies and anyone visiting our great state; but also help drive investment and tourism within our regional towns,” Mr Reade said.
The launch of the Port Pirie and Mount Gambier Charging Hubs this month brings the total number of operational charging sites to 133 out of the planned 140-site network, which is due to be completed later this year.
Back in March, three new electric vehicle charging stations opened in the Northern Territory towns of Katherine, Tennant Creek and Alice Springs as part of a $78.6 million partnership between the Commonwealth and NRMA to deliver a national EV fast-charging network.
The program is supporting 16 fast-charging locations across the NT. When the rollout of NT NRMA chargers is complete, EV drivers will be able to make the nearly 3000-kilometre trip from Darwin and through to SA.
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Maybe in two decades time, but I doubt it.
Not towing a caravan and range halved.
Not speed limited to extract maximum range and worrying about charger location, operational or not and if phone app connects.
I was advised yesterday that many EV recharging stations privately or private sector business owned limit by dollar value or time and regardless of resulting level an EV receives.
Handy on a country road trip.