As part of an Australian-first trial, seven new electric vehicle (EV) charging stations have been installed on local street-side power poles in the Northern Beaches.
The project is being led by energy technology business Intellihub, supported by Northern Beaches Council, and with funding from the Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA).
Northern Beaches Mayor, Sue Heins, welcomed the new chargers as a great addition to the growing list of EV charging locations on the Beaches.
“The Northern Beaches is one of the fastest growing areas for EV ownership and we are working with industry partners to make sure there are enough local charging stations to keep pace with demand,” Ms Heins said.
“This wonderful initiative is making EV charging more accessible for people living in apartments, townhouses or units with no onsite EV charging options. We expect it will encourage more people to make the switch from petrol and diesel powered vehicles to electric.
“We continue to encourage all our residents to consider making the switch. Together, we can reach our target of a 30 per cent reduction in vehicle emissions by 2038.”
The Northern Beaches is one of eight local councils taking part in the Intellihub EV Streetside Charging Project.
The 22kW chargers have been installed at:
- Ashburner Street, Manly
- West Promenade, Manly
- Anzac Avenue, Collaroy
- Blackbutts Road (opposite Malbara Crescent), Frenchs Forest
- Yulong Avenue, Terrey Hills
- Allambie Road, Allambie Heights
- Dearin Reserve (opposite 13 Kalinya Street), Newport
The community was involved in deciding the best locations for the trial. Council received 429 responses from the community, with overall support for the project.
The EV chargers are connected to the overhead electricity supply, and the energy use is matched with 100 per cent accredited GreenPower. For all the energy required to charge electric vehicles, the equivalent amount of certified renewable energy is put back into the grid.
More than 1,300 EVs have been registered across the Northern Beaches over the past 12-months. There are now more than 3,100 EVs registered across the local government area.
Hundreds of charging sessions have already taken place at these charging stations in 2024.
Intellihub CEO, Wes Ballantine, said EV drivers will be able to drive up, park and charge at any of the charging sites via the Exploren App.
“A typical EV can get more than 200km of driving from a two-hour charge at any of these sites,” Mr Ballantine said.
“The new chargers are displayed on all public EV charging maps, so every EV driver, whether they live here or are just visiting, will know they can more easily charge their EV on the Northern Beaches.
“We’re very pleased to be working with the Northern Beaches Council on such an important project.”
If the 12-month trial is successful more poles could be rolled out across the country. Results of the trial will be reported to the Local Traffic Committee in early 2025 and placed on public exhibition.
Featured image: Northern Beaches Council Mayor, Sue Heins, charging a vehicle at one of the power pole stations. Image credit: Northern Beaches Council.
