Randwick to add 100 new electric vehicle charging ports
Image: Southworks, Shutterstock
by ASPEN ABNER
Randwick residents will have access to 100 new electric vehicle (EV) charging spaces in Randwick by the end of 2025 in a joint council initiative.
The “Charging the East” initiative, a joint effort by Randwick, Waverley and Woollahra councils, aims to support residents to make the change to EV.
In the span of 18 months, the number of public charging spaces will increase from 40 to 140.
Randwick Mayor Philipa Veitch said, “Providing infrastructure to support residents to go electric is the single greatest thing local governments can do to reduce emissions in our areas, and we know there’s significant demand for EVs in our communities.”
According to the Electric Vehicle Council, there was a 2.7 per cent increase in electric car purchases from 2019.
However, the small number of public charging facilities prevents some from switching to electric vehicles. This lack of charging ports especially affects people who live in apartment buildings or have homes without off-street parking.
Minister for Climate Change Penny Sharpe said the increased availability of public charging options should give people the confidence to make their next vehicle an EV.
“Almost 30 percent of NSW drivers do not have access to private, off-street parking to charge an EV,” Sharpe said. “That figure is considerably higher in metro areas.”
These charging facilities will be open to the public 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
The three councils have received a combined $1 million from the NSW State Government to expand by 91 chargers, including a mix of ‘AC’ and fast ‘DC’ chargers.
With the government funding, a total of 250 new spaces will be installed across the eastern suburbs, bringing the total number of charging spots for public use to 350.
“The fast-charging stations take less than 15 minutes to recharge the average daily drive, and are powered by 100% renewable energy,” said the Regional Environment Program Manager at Waverley, Woollahra and Randwick Councils, Anthony Weinberg.
The councils are working with private companies to install the remaining 162 ports, with locations to soon be announced.
Randwick, Waverley and Woollahra councils are actively supporting the infrastructure required to support the growing number of EVs.
The joint council has been working closely on finding innovative solutions for placing EV chargers, such as retrofitting 21 chargers on wooden street poles, installing five charging stations at Glenayr Ave, Bondi and setting up charging hubs in council car parks.
“EVs are more convenient, they are cleaner and quieter, and they can save the average Australian driver around $1,000 each year on fuel costs,” Weinberg added.
