Australia’s EV adoption faces challenges in charging infrastructure expansion: Report

Australia’s efforts to promote the adoption of electric vehicles (EVs) are gaining momentum as more Australians embrace cleaner cars. However, the challenge lies in the slow progress of installing charging infrastructure to meet the increasing demand.

While the Australian government’s recent announcement of plans to introduce vehicle emissions standards has provided a boost to environmentally conscious consumers, the country’s public charging infrastructure still lags behind global standards. According to the International Energy Agency, Australia has fewer public chargers per EV compared to the global average, with limited availability outside major cities. This scarcity of charging stations could deter widespread EV adoption in a vast country like Australia.

Despite being home to successful charger manufacturer Tritium DCFC, the installation of chargers faces various obstacles, including equipment procurement challenges, delays in connecting chargers to the grid, and financial viability concerns. Industry executives emphasize that a rapid build-out of charging infrastructure cannot be achieved overnight due to these factors.

Carly Irving-Dolan, CEO of NRMA Energy and Infrastructure, highlights the time-consuming nature of the process, stating that a significant increase in charger availability will not be immediately visible. NRMA, in collaboration with the government, aims to construct 135 charging sites across the national highway network within the next two to three years. Currently, Australia has 2,392 charging sites in operation.

Australia’s shift towards EVs has seen progress since the Labor government came into power a year ago. The government has launched a national EV strategy and doubled funding for cleaner transport to AUD 500 million. As a result, EV sales have been on the rise, accounting for 8% of all car sales in April, compared to 1.1% in the previous year.

However, there remains uncertainty surrounding the stringency of the upcoming vehicle emission standards, which could impact the future demand for EVs in the country.