Stuart Absalom (right) showing his electric vehicle to a member of the public at a Renewable Cobargo EV Expo in Bermagui in October 2023. Photo: Marion Williams.
Tilba resident Stuart Absalom loves road trips in his electric vehicle (EV) but his recent trip to Melbourne was fraught.
The fast chargers at Orbost and Cann River were out of action. On his return, Bega’s fast charger, which he had been counting on, was not working properly. He said there was a gap in fast chargers between Batemans Bay and East Gippsland, and between Sydney and Melbourne more generally.
Eurobodalla-based Southcoast Health and Sustainability Alliance (SHASA) president Kathryn Maxwell agreed. “I wish there was an understanding by the Federal Government that Highway 1 from Sydney to Melbourne is awful. All the commercial fast EV chargers are on the Hume Highway, so we have a particular challenge on the Far South Coast and Gippsland.
“We have an increasing number of EVs but not a corresponding increase in charging stations, particularly fast chargers so tourists can charge up easily,” Ms Maxwell said. “We are opening up all these mountain bike trails, and we know from the data that some mountain bikers have EVs, yet there is nothing planned for Mogo and only Tesla ones in Narooma.”
A spokesperson for Eurobodalla Shire Council said all the charging stations in the shire were working, nearly all were publicly available, and they were at 10 regularly spaced locations along a 108-kilometre section of highway.
The fast charging station at Cann River. It was not working when Stuart Absalom made his last trip to Melbourne. Photo: Stuart Absalom.
Mr Absalom said EV drivers had moved from “range anxiety” to “charger anxiety”. Not all EV chargers are fast chargers. The slower ‘destination’ chargers make for a very slow trip if drivers can only top up the battery by five to 10 per cent at a time and may necessitate an overnight stay. Sometimes the chargers only work intermittently. Nor can all EVs use the latest generation Tesla fast chargers.
He conceded it was a difficult issue. EV infrastructure is not necessarily councils’ highest priority, particularly while strapped for cash. Installing EV chargers is complicated, requires access to high-voltage infrastructure and is expensive, plus the charge point operators (CPO) like Tesla, Evie and NRMA need to get a return on their money.
Mr Absalom said Eurobodalla Shire Council had decided not to own EV chargers. Instead, it will develop the shire’s EV infrastructure in collaboration with CPOs and can contribute by leasing land to CPOs. That is not the case in Bega Valley Shire.
In a statement, a spokesperson for Bega Valley Shire Council said it was aware of the shire’s limited fast charging stations and continued to engage with CPOs and private landholders to encourage fast charging EV infrastructure on private land.
Last year CPOs expressed interest in installing EV chargers on council managed land but the process revealed several constraints with the proposed sites. It is also monitoring for appropriate funding opportunities. “Recent opportunities have required significant financial contributions from council which we are not in a position to fulfil,” the spokesperson said.
There was good attendance at a Renewable Cobargo EV Expo in Bermagui in October 2023 but Stuart Absalom worries that gaps in the fast EV charger network will deter ownership. Photo: Marion Williams.
Ms Maxwell said Eurobodalla Shire Council should have council-owned chargers at the libraries and the Bay Pavilions. “We should have put in a big solar carpark to charge cars and make money from that,” Ms Maxwell said. “You would very quickly pay off your solar array.”
She said that following approaches by the council, Evie had signed up to put fast chargers in Narooma but there was no date for installation and the NRMA was still negotiating about installing two at Moruya Library. Tesla is looking at Batemans Bay for fast chargers. Moruya has no chargers except the ‘destination’ charger that SHASA installed at the golf course.
Mr Absalom said councils had opportunities to advocate for EV chargers in the region and to look at collaborations where they did not have the responsibility of owning the charger and could lease land where suitable.
Mr Absalom still loves his EV and remains committed to reducing emissions from transport. At this stage of the transition though EV drivers must not only plan their trip but also have backup plans. He is concerned that the gaps in the fast charger network will deter EV ownership.
“It is chicken and egg. You put in the chargers and encourage people to buy EVs but if you put a charger in at great expense and don’t get a return that is an issue as well,” Mr Absalom said. “People are wary about buying EVs because we are in a transition stage. The reality is there is a huge and urgent need to transition to transport with low emissions now.”
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