Revolutionary plan to boost electric vehicle uptake in Australia: 'Available to everyone'
Australia currently has over 5,000 public electric car chargers - but that could soon dramatically increase under a bold new proposal.
Calls for a major tweak to Australia's electric vehicle charging infrastructure are mounting from industry specialists, who say it will drive down costs for drivers while significantly boosting uptake.
In a report released on Friday, Energy Networks Australia said allowing distribution networks to install, own and maintain EV chargers on their existing poles "would overcome the key barriers to EV ownership" currently caused by "inadequate charging infrastructure".
One of these distribution networks, Ausgrid — one of Australia’s largest — immediately backed the call.
Speaking to Yahoo News Australia, Nick Black, Ausgrid’s head of EVC and infrastructure development, said by updating regulations to enable networks to deploy chargers on our poles, we can make charging "available to everyone no matter where they live".
Electric car experts push for chargers on existing power poles
Power poles are primarily designed for electricity distribution, not for direct consumer use. Retrofitting them to support EV charging requires some upgrades, including the installation of charging units, safety mechanisms, and metering systems. Ensuring that poles can handle the additional load without compromising grid stability is one technical hurdle facing the proposal.
He said by opening up access to all charging providers, we "can also bring down costs".
"EV chargers should be where they are needed not where they are economically viable," Black told Yahoo.
"By leveraging existing infrastructure, we minimise disruption and ensure a least-cost, reliable, accessible charging experience for everyone. And it’s one that can be maintained, much like streetlights.
"This model will provide competition between EV charging retailers bringing down prices and promoting transparency of costs."
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Black argued that "our proposal reduces charging costs to consumers" by providing AC kerbside charging that would be "similar to the cost of charging at home".
"This represents big savings for the 30 per cent of the customers in our network who do not have access to off-street parking and currently pay a premium to charge as they can’t charge at home," he said.
"Our proposal makes deploying pole-mounted AC charging more cost-efficient for consumers as it eliminates the transaction costs that are currently being passed on to them in the current regulatory framework."
However deploying EV chargers on power poles involves navigating complex regulatory frameworks. Authorities need to approve modifications, and compliance with safety, zoning, and utility regulations is essential.
Current regulations 'need an update' to support EV charging
The current regulations "need an update to reflect the opportunity that sits within the existing electricity distribution networks", Black said, to drive a cheaper, faster and more equitable transition.
"And allow them to provide infrastructure to support customers’ net zero choices, such as EV charging infrastructure, so anyone — no matter where they live — can charge near their homes and businesses," he added.
In 2024, approximately 91,293 EVs were sold in Australia, accounting for 7.4 per cent of the total new car market of 1.236 million vehicles. Tesla maintained its dominance with 42 per cent of the market share, though this reflects a drop from over 50 per cent in 2023.
The Australian market is set to expand further in 2025, with around 40 new EV models expected to launch this year, increasing the total available options by 50 per cent.
Government initiatives, including new emissions laws and supportive policies, are anticipated to accelerate this trend.
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