Fuel prices may be at their lowest levels for years but grey nomads are still pumping thousands of dollars into their tanks, money they would rather spend on something else.
Well, it seems that realising the dream of the fuel-free Big Lap may not be as far fetched or as far away as some would believe. Indeed, electric-vehicle importer Tesla has just announced its intention to expand its supercharger network with the aim of allowing drivers to circumnavigate Australia on free electricity.
According to a report in motoring.com.au, Tesla owners should be able to travel from Brisbane to Melbourne on free electricity by the end of the year. The necessary superchargers are already dotted at intervals between Melbourne and Sydney, allowing owners to stop in at towns such as Goulburn and Gundagai.
And the electricity outlets are already credited with giving local economies a boost. It takes about an hour to fully re-charge a vehicles and customers are contributing an estimated $21 in discretionary spend in local towns while they are waiting.
One Tesla customer has reportedly already crossed the Nullarbor aboard a Model S, and Tesla spokesman Heath Walker said that, for regular customers to achieve the same feat using superchargers, electricity outlets will need to be spaced roughly 200 kilometres apart.
“In terms of mapping all of Australia we’d love to have the whole of Australia covered with these things,” he told motoring.com.au. “I think it will one day become that … the cost is quite a big thing though.”
While Tesla has enjoyed some success in Australia’s major cities, it is reportedly yet to infiltrate regional hubs, where there is a lot more anxiety about being able to get sufficient range.
However, Mr Walker told motoring.com.au this would change as the company grows its dealer or ‘shop’ network, and its vehicle range improves.
“As our fleet starts to build within any particular market we’ll look to support that with charging infrastructure, because it has a cyclical element to it,” he said. “Market penetration delivers greater infrastructure and you can see that if you look at our China supercharger breadth – it’s growing much more rapidly there just because there are more cars on the road.”
* Do you think you will ever travel around Australia in an electric vehicle? Comment below
Who pays?
Elecrtricity isnt free in Australia. Even solar will cost because the equipment will need service.