Electric car owners warned to plan ahead for Easter road trip charging

With the pandemic present successful the rear-view reflector and vacation question coming backmost to the fore, Australia’s electrical conveyance (EV) charging giants person elaborate however they program to present a creaseless acquisition to motorists this agelong weekend.

Electric car income person been connected the emergence successful Australia post-COVID, reaching a caller grounds of much than 87,000 battery-powered vehicles sold successful 2024 – a staggering 161 per cent summation connected the erstwhile year.

As request for EV chargers has increased, proviso has been ramped up to header with the thousands of Australians wanting to recharge their car’s batteries portion travelling implicit Easter.

Chargefox – the complaint institution owned by the Australian Motoring Services, which is owned by the Mobility Clubs of Australia (NRMA, RACV, RACQ, RAA, RAC, RACT) – present has further 331 charging locations compared to Easter 2023.

The institution – which brings unneurotic antithetic networks into a azygous acquisition – says the caller charging locations see 129 DC accelerated chargers with 394 plugs betwixt them.

However, fixed request for its web implicit Christmas, it’s advising EV owners to hole successful beforehand of hitting the roadworthy by charging earlier leaving location and program their way with alternate stations successful lawsuit hold times are excessively long. 

“During the astir caller Christmas and summertime vacation period, charging connected our level soared by 150 per cent compared to the aforesaid play successful the erstwhile twelvemonth – nevertheless we saw a alteration successful frustrations from queuing owed to important maturation successful the charger rollout,” Chargefox caput of selling Rob Asselman told CarExpert.

“The world is that Easter is simply a engaged clip connected Australian roads which means determination volition beryllium much EV drivers looking to charge. 

“To guarantee a creaseless travel I urge EV drivers beryllium afloat charged earlier you depart, marque definite you cheque your charging app earlier you leave, and guarantee that the chargers you purpose to complaint astatine are operational. 

“Make definite you person a backup charging presumption earlier you caput there. Don’t program to scope your destination with lone 3 per cent connected your battery.”

Evie Networks has besides accrued its EV charger spread, adding much than 60 locations and 250 plugs crossed its nationalist network, present comprising 214 sites Australia-wide.

The coming 4 days are expected to bring a grounds fig of motorists to Evie charging stations, astir each of which are operational.

“After a precise engaged Christmas, which saw 8000 drivers usage Evie Networks charging stations, we foretell a grounds 10,000 EV drivers volition beryllium charging up passim the Easter agelong weekend,” a spokesperson for Evie said. 

“With implicit 97 per cent of our stations operational, we’re each astir making definite that drivers similar you person casual entree to dependable charging spots each implicit Australia. 

“While we’re moving to guarantee the process is arsenic creaseless arsenic imaginable for EV drivers, we suggest they usage our caller ‘busy times’ successful the app truthful drivers tin cheque successful connected however engaged an Evie Network charging presumption is and erstwhile is the champion clip to charge.”

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