MORISSET is among the locations being considered by Lake Macquarie City Council for the installation of a charging station for electric vehicles.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
It's part of a draft strategy the council hopes will be the catalyst for new infrastructure for electric vehicles (EVs).
The council said its Electric Vehicle Charging Strategy 2019-22 aimed to address the shortage of publicly available charging stations across the city.
It's that shortage of charging stations that is cited by local residents and businesses as a significant barrier to EV uptake.
Council's environmental systems manager Tim Browne said the draft strategy provided a framework for consistent deployment of charging infrastructure by business, residents and council.
"Council will kick-start this new charging network, with other industry partners taking the lead once momentum builds," Mr Browne said.
"All indicators point towards an increasingly electric future on our roads, and we need to start preparing now to ensure we are ready for this change."
Australia's uptake of EVs has so far been slow.
Of the 36 countries in the OECD, 32 member countries have higher sales rates (as a proportion of total new car sales) for electric vehicles than Australia does.
But a 2018 report by research body ClimateWorks said global momentum for EVs was growing, and policy could help address the three major barriers to electric vehicle uptake in Australia: cost and model availability; recharging concerns; and consumer awareness.
The NRMA this year warned of a "dire" impact on Australia's economy and local communities, unless more was done to cater for EVs.
Also among the 10 potential locations listed in the draft strategy for new EV chargers was Swansea, Charlestown, Warners Bay, Fassifern and Freemans Waterhole.
The draft strategy noted the presence of existing charging sites at Lake Munmorah, and at council's Speers Point administration building.
"Locations are yet to be finalised, but it makes sense to install this infrastructure in the busiest parts of our city," Mr Browne said.
The council hopes to roll out the charging stations across the city within one to three years.
Train stations and shopping centres will be among the sites considered for new Level Two chargers.
"Deployment of charging infrastructure is crucial to this strategy, but so too are the partnerships we must forge with other levels of government, business, industry and other councils in our region," Mr Browne said.
"These partnerships will help us achieve a practical, regional EV charging network that will support growth and investment in Lake Macquarie in years to come."
In 2012, an EV charging station was installed at Auston Oval, opposite the McDonald's Restaurant driveway, in Morisset, as part of the federal government's $100 million 'Smart Grid, Smart City' electric vehicle trial.
As part of the trial, council had use of a $48,000 all-electric Mitsubishi iMiev on loan from Ausgrid.
Mr Browne urged the community to provide feedback on the draft strategy, on display until Friday, October 25.
- Go to shape.lakemac.com.au/evcs to read the strategy, make a submission, join discussion forums on the topic and browse an interactive map of potential charging locations.
