Super Long EV Charging Network in Australia Now Open – CleanTechnica

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The WA EV Network (Western Australia electric vehicle network) recently “opened.” The EV charging network is the longest in Australia, extending 7,000 kilometers. The network includes 110 charging points across 49 locations.

“The initiative is part of the State Government’s Electric Vehicle Strategy and aims to boost EV uptake in WA to help reach the State Government’s target of net zero carbon emissions by 2050. View the EV Strategy,” Synergy writes. Synergy, along with Horizon Power, worked with the Western Australia government to complete the network. Synergy is a gentailer, while Horizon Power is a state-owned power company. Here’s a map of the network:

Interestingly, rather than try to get people to join yet another charging network, the WA EV Network charging stations are being managed by Chargefox, and Synergy points people to PlugShare to find the stations and check on details.

Most stations have two DC fast charger outlets and one AC charging outlet. Personally, I don’t think that’s enough. Over the past decade plus, experiences across the US, Europe, Australia, and elsewhere have shown that just having 2–3 ports is a recipe for headaches. If one or a few ports get broken, a driver expecting a charge can be left in a bad situation, if not stranded. If a couple of cars are charging and a few more show up, you can get a long line of EV drivers who are quite unhappy and behind schedule. It seems to me a bare minimum number of charging ports should be 6, and preferably 10+ at most. I get it — that’s a lot more expensive. However, that’s what’s needed to build a charging station/network that’s satisfactory.

Various Q&A about the WA EV Network from Synergy can be found here.

“The completion of [the Western Australia] electric highway is a major milestone … that will give Western Australians even more confidence and motivation to switch to an electric vehicle,” said Electric Vehicle Council Head of Legal, Policy and Advocacy Aman Gaur. “With the [Western Australian] election just around the corner, we are urging all parties to build on the state’s progress by committing to more electric vehicle initiatives. That includes funding grants to install EV chargers on kerbsides and in existing apartment buildings, as well as providing incentives for councils to make council-owned car parks available for charging stations.”