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Eastern Suburbs Public Electric Vehicle Charging Station Network

Waverley, Woollahra and Randwick Councils in Sydney’s eastern suburbs have installed public on-street electric vehicle (EV) charging stations in key destination hotspots from Coogee to Double Bay.

These are the first on-street public charging stations of this type in Sydney, and local government-backed on-street charging infrastructure in NSW.

The project is part of a jointly funded 3-Council Regional Environment Program.

Where are the charge stations located?

Prime locations in key destination hotspots:

• Queen Elizabeth Drive, Bondi Beach
• Kiaora Place Shopping Centre, Double Bay
• Coogee Beach – Brooke St next to Coogee Oval
• Randwick Community Centre, Munda St, Randwick
• Silver St Car park, Randwick
• Des Renford Aquatic Centre, Randwick
• Rose Bay - Corner of Norwich and Richmond Rds
• Spring St outside Mill Hill Community Centre Bondi Junction – temporarily closed
• 18-20 Goodhope Street in Paddington

Further sites will be added to the EV network as uptake of EVs grows.

Can all EVs access the charge stations?

Yes. The charge stations allow for universal charging, meaning they will be accessible to all electric vehicle makes and models. EVs will need to adhere to normal parking restrictions that apply at each site.

Where are they located and how do I know if they are available?

You will be able to find station locations via the Chargefox app, which also tells drivers whether the plugs are “available” or “in use”.

Charge stations are also listed on PlugShare.

At each site, the location of the charging station will be clearly marked and signposted.

How fast will they charge?

The charge stations are dual port Level 2 AC with a power output of 22kW per port.  This will provide a fast charging rate for most cars on the market. This technology usually charges up to 150km/hour but will take less than an 15 mins to cover off your average daily drive.

The charge stations are powered by 100% renewable energy.

How can I charge my vehicle at these stations?

You will need to bring your own Type 2 (Mennekes) cables (readily available online or from your car manufacturer/dealer), and follow instructions on the station and via the Chargefox App. Detailed instructions are available on the Chargefox website.

There will be a small usage fee of between 10-25c/kWh depending on the time of day. This fee will be less than the cost of charging the vehicle at home.

Initially, payment will be done via Chargefox app with credit card contactless payment to be progressively added.

Once you activate the charger via the app:

1. Plug your cord into the machine.
2. Press the green button.
3. Please ensure the cord is carefully placed to avoid a trip hazard for pedestrians.
4. When your vehicle is charged or you wish to leave the station, press the stop button, unplug your cord and continue on your journey.
5. Have a safe journey.

Chargefox support number is 1300 518 038.

What parking rules apply?

These parking spots are designated as ‘No Parking - Electric Vehicles Excepted Only While Charging’. Charging is demonstrated by the charging cable being connected from the vehicle to the charge station.

Should an EV not be charging, or another vehicle parked here, the driver could incur a fine (Disobey No Parking).

Electric vehicle drivers will need to adhere to any normal parking restrictions that apply at that location.

If you do encounter the wrong vehicle parked in this space, prohibiting EVs to park and charge, you can report it to Waverley Customer Service Centre via the Snap, Send, Solve app. or call 9083 8000.

Why are the Councils installing on-street EV public chargers?

We’re at the beginning of a motoring transformation in Australia and around the world. In the near future, electric vehicles will be a mainstream mode of transport. Local government can play a key role in enabling EV uptake.

This Tri-Council project aims to make the Eastern Suburbs ‘EV-ready’ and support the transition to zero emissions vehicle transport, by addressing two main barriers to EV uptake: access to charging infrastructure and drivers’ range anxieties.

The transport sector contributes some 18% of Australia’s total greenhouse gas pollution and Australia is ranked second worst in an international scorecard for transport energy efficiency. EVs provide a viable move away from fossil fuels.

The project is a key part of the 3-Councils’ plans to reduce carbon emissions across

the region and also offers innovative ‘smart city’ solutions to its residents and visitors.

Why now?

Current projections indicate EVs will account for 55% of new car sales by 2040 (BNEF 2018). There is also set to be a major shift in EV ownership from next year when more affordable models become available in Australia e.g. Tesla 3, Nissan LEAF, Hyundai Kona and others.

The number of available EV models in Australia grew by 44% between 2016 and 2017. Nine more models are due in the next 18 months and there is potential to exceed 135 by 2040 (ClimateWorks, 2018).

Councils and other levels of government need to be in step with, if not ahead of, the market and industry to support and facilitate such changes.

What are the other benefits of enabling EV uptake with on-street charge stations?

• Brings more tourism dollars to local beach and shopping precincts
• Helps residents with cost of living pressures and inflated petrol prices
• Reduces pollution and noise on our roads
• There is a lot of thinking that most EV charging will happen at home and in workplace, but destination charging helps those who don’t have access to this.
• Providing confidence to drive an EV – overcomes “range anxiety”

Who’s involved?

Our station service provider JET Charge is one of Australia’s leading electric vehicle (EV) charging providers and has recently been nominated as the preferred installer for Tesla Motors, Porsche, Audi, Volvo, Renault, Hyundai, Nissan, Jaguar and Land Rover.

Are there future plans for a larger network of public charge stations in the Eastern Suburbs?

The 3-Councils will be monitoring use and user experience/feedback for this first rollout, with a view to consider potential expansion at current and new sites.

We are also looking at increasing EVs in our Council fleets, and ways to support apartment dwellers to access EV charging.

The Councils continue to support and facilitate use of other low emissions sustainable transport including walking, cycling, public transport and car-sharing.

Electric vehicle charging for apartment buildings

If you're interested in learning about electric vehicle charging in apartment buildings, this webinar is a good place to start. Hear from the experts about how charging for electric vehicles (EV) in apartment buildings can happen. Our guest speakers from Council, industry and electric vehicle peak bodies will help demystify the key information that people living in apartments will need to consider when owning an EV in the future.

Find out more?

• Chargefox supportnumber is 1300 518 038
• 3-Council Project Manager - Anthony Weinberg, anthony.weinberg@waverley.nsw.gov.au
• Chargefox instructions