National Ultrafast EV Charging Infrastructure Network
The National Ultrafast EV Charging Infrastructure Network project by Evie Networks involves the development and construction of at least 42 ultra-fast EV charging sites located along major highways across the east coast of Australia including Adelaide, Perth and Tasmania. Spaced approximately 150km apart, these charging stations will support the full range of passenger and light commercial EVs.
Start and end dates: Start May 2019, current project
Lead organisation: Fast Cities Australia Pty Ltd (trading as Evie Networks)
Location: National (Australia)
Additional organisations: St Baker Energy Innovation Fund, Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA)
Project budget, funding sources, components or breakdown of cost: $15m funded by ARENA; $50.2m total project cost
Contact person: Andrew Simpson, Evie Networks
Link to project website: National Ultrafast EV Charging Infrastructure Network
Included technologies
- Battery recharging infrastructure
Project stages
- Deployment encouragement
Included locations
- Rural motorways and divided highways
- Rural main highways
Benefits directly sought by the project
- Reduce environmental impact
- Increase public support to assist deployment and adoption
- Commercial return - product / service development
Project scale
- 42 fast charger sites
Further details on included technologies
- 350kW DC fast chargers
Support the deployment of charging infrastructure required to support the uptake of EVs in Australia.
Lessons learned that inform future technology deployments
- Complementary network planning: to improve the national charging network coverage available for Australian EV motorists, it was recognized early in the planning stages that Evie Networks should develop a mix of sites that both extend the coverage and also reduce inter-spacing relative to other sites in other networks.
- Ultrafast (350kW) EV charging is a cutting edge but still relatively unproven technology; Evie Networks understands that the product plans of global EV manufacturers contain an increasing prevalence of 350kW charging cars in the 3-5 year timeline:
- There are limited current suppliers for 350kW charging units
- Products are new and customer support is still developing.
- Delivering high‐powered grid connections is time‐consuming and expensive through inconsistent and unpredictable connection processes:
- Ultrafast DC charging sites require a lot of power, albeit for relatively short durations
- Evie Networks predicts that a six charger site rated at 1,000kVA may use approximately 1GWh per annum, equivalent to more than 100 houses
- Evie Networks typically allows $200,000-$250,000 for each new charging site grid connection as a low-voltage customer.
Links to project lessons learned and / or benefit assessment reports
Links to any other supporting project reports
Last updated: May 2021.