One of the world’s longest connected electric vehicle (EV) charging highway is now operational, with 110 charging points across 49 locations between Mundrabilla in the south and Kununurra in the north.
In some isolated locations that are difficult to connect to an existing power supply, chargers are being supported by standalone power systems, which largely draw on solar and small-scale battery storage for power.
The network has already drawn international praise, with Time Magazine recognising it as one of the world’s 100 greatest places to visit in 2024.
Synergy and Horizon Power jointly delivered the WA EV Network, which forms part of the Western Australian Government’s $43.5 million investment in EV charging infrastructure.
The network’s completion comes as Department of Transport data shows the number of registered EVs on Western Australian roads more than doubled in the 2023–24 financial year to more than 22,000.
That data also shows the biggest increases in ownership has been in at outer-suburban Perth households, including Wanneroo, Joondalup and Cockburn.
Horizon Power CEO, Stephanie Unwin, said that as Western Australia’s regional energy provider, Horizon Power has an important role to play in making sure that communities across regional and remote Western Australia can take advantage of EVs and to help drivers get to their next destination, without fear of range anxiety.
“Horizon Power has delivered charging stations in 27 locations across Western Australia – including towns such as Esperance, Broome and Exmouth – but also in remote parts of the state, including four chargers out on the Nullarbor, near the South Australian border,” Ms Unwin said.
“Installing EV chargers in remote locations is not without its challenges. It requires novel thinking to get the EV chargers to work reliably on small microgrids and to facilitate the transportation of materials in remote parts of our state, so that we can deliver this important infrastructure. Acknowledging the need for reliable EV chargers in our remote locations, which are often subject to extreme climates and resource constraints, we have installed back-up chargers at all sites.
“Thinking outside the box, our project team has been responsible for the deployment of bespoke energy solutions across regional and remote Western Australia, including standalone power systems powered predominantly by renewables, tailored to support the unique needs of our different communities,” Ms Unwin said.
Synergy Executive General Manager, Brent Italiano, said that the successful delivery of the WA EV Network was achieved with multi-departmental cooperation between Synergy and Horizon Power with the support of local councils and the Western Australian EV community.
“There have been more than 36,000 charging sessions on the network (as at December 5, 2024),” Mr Italiano said.
“Synergy has delivered 22 charging locations, with a total of 52 fast charger points and 18 back-up chargers across the state’s main electricity grid – the SWIS (South West Interconnected System) – which includes Perth’s metropolitan area and expands from Kalbarri in the north, to Kalgoorlie in the east and Albany in the south.”
Western Australian Premier, Roger Cook, said, “We want every Western Australian to get out and enjoy our state – including EV drivers.
“This investment will help to bring down the barriers to EV uptake and help to get more EVs on the road across Western Australia.”
Western Australian Energy, Environment and Climate Action Minister, Reece Whitby, said this is an exciting achievement for Western Australia that will allow households to drive the state’s energy transition.
“Through our investment in the WA EV Network, we have opened our state to EV drivers, who can travel from Albany to Kalbarri or Perth to Esperance without the fear of range anxiety,” Mr Whitby said.
“That’s good news for tourism in Western Australia and a big reason why the network has drawn international attention.
“By building the state’s longest EV charging highway, the State Government is ensuring Western Australians play a leading role in our pathway to achieving net zero emissions by 2050.”
