The city of Launceston has opened the roads to electric vehicle drivers by installing the state’s first publicly available DC fast charger.
The charger, from Brisbane-based electric vehicle infrastructure developer Tritium, is free to use for all drivers until July 1, 2019 when fees for charging will be set.
City of Launceston Mayor Albert van Zetten says the installation of Tritium’s DC fast charger is an important first step in unlocking electric vehicle usage in Tasmania.
“The rise of electric vehicles is important for the state as the zero-emission driving capabilities of EVs ensures we can keep our biggest asset – our air and environment – clean for tourists,” he says.
Related article: Ultra-fast EV charging network to connect major cities
“The Tritium DC fast charger is proven technology and will help eliminate ‘range anxiety’ for our growing number of EV drivers across the state.”
Tritium’s Veefil-RTs ensure drivers can fully charge their vehicle to 80 per cent within 30 minutes on average for any EV with a CHAdeMO or CCS2 socket – meaning they will accommodate most makes and models of EVs available in Australia.
With the installation of Tasmania’s first publicly available DC fast charger, drivers will be able to complete the round trip from Launceston to Hobart with a single charge at the Launceston site.
In 2013, the Department of Premier and Cabinet’s Tasmanian Climate Change Office (TCCO) undertook a project to investigate the potential benefits of electric vehicles in Tasmania. The benefits identified included: reduced transport-related air pollution; improved energy security due to reduced reliance on imported fossil fuels; and significant emissions reduction opportunities due to Tasmania’s renewable energy profile.
It also identified a key barrier to electric vehicle uptake: a lack of public charging infrastructure to support longer distance drives. While most EV owners charge their vehicles at home, the project identified that public charging is needed to support extended journeys, including to facilitate electric vehicle tourism.
Tritium, founded in Brisbane, is a world leader in fast-charging station technology with deployments in the United States and Europe, and in Australia is the leading supplier of chargers for Queensland’s EV super-highway and the NRMA’s electric vehicle highway in New South Wales.
Related article: Australia installs 50th EV fast-charging site
