The City of Sydney has launched a new EV charging trial with Ausgrid and EVX that will see more chargers available across the city.
According to the City, the trial demonstrates Sydney’s early action on its Electrification of transport strategy and action plan.
“Drastically lowering transport emissions is critical to meeting our net zero targets. We are making great inroads by improving active and public transport options, but ensuring remaining private vehicle use is as green as possible is also incredibly important,” Sydney Lord Mayor Clover Moore AO said.
“That’s why the City is working with energy providers and our diverse communities to lower the barriers to electric vehicle use, particularly through access to charging facilities.”
Lord Mayor Moore noted that research indicates that most electric vehicle owners can charge at home, work, or public off-street points, but not all residents have access to private parking due to urban fabric.
“We’re meeting the challenge of providing on-street charging capacity without obtrusive infrastructure taking up precious road and footpath space,” the Lord Mayor added.
Ausgrid Group Executive of Distributed Services Rob Amphlett Lewis stated that the eight extra power pole-mounted chargers recently placed throughout the City of Sydney area demonstrate how Ausgrid is assisting in making the transition to EVs easier.
“At Ausgrid, we are working hard to address issues surrounding electric vehicle charging accessibility. Power pole-mounted chargers are faster and cheaper to deploy than other kerbside charging units and reduce urban clutter, causing less disruption to our surrounding communities,” Amphlett Lewis said.
The Australian-made EVX pole charger addresses sustainability challenges faced by utility providers and local governments in building sustainable EV charging infrastructure.
“We’re proud of this partnership and are thrilled to be able to supply such a crucial component of our community’s EV charging needs. Areas of inner Sydney with little or no off-street parking will greatly benefit from this service, and these new chargers have been strategically located to serve these communities,” EVX CEO Andrew Forster said.
The City of Sydney will provide 14 dedicated EV charging spaces at the eight new free locations. To access and pay for the charging service directly with EVX, drivers will need to download an app.
Sydney’s first EV charging point, also powered by EVX, has been operational in Glebe since February, adding to over 100 publicly available charging points in the area.
Lord Mayor Moore emphasised the urgent need to reduce emissions, particularly in the context of climate emergency.
“With over 8% of new cars sold in Australia now EVs, the scale-up of charging infrastructure is only going to become more important. Being able to install these eight new chargers in just a week shows that rapid deployment of new kerbside charging infrastructure is possible to meet the rising demand,” Forster noted.
