Construction of the WA electric vehicle highway charging ahead

The City of Greater Geraldton will soon be part of Australia’s longest electric vehicle (EV) highway with construction of the highly anticipated public charging station in the CBD now underway.

Two EV charging stations that can charge up to four vehicles at the same time along with an EFTPOS pay station are currently being installed near the entrance to the Francis Street carpark.

The charging stations are part of the State Government’s proposed EV network being constructed by Synergy and Horizon Power that will run from Perth to Kununurra, along the southwest coast to Eucla and east to Kalgoorlie which includes 98 charging stations at 49 locations across the State.

City of Greater Geraldton Mayor Shane Van Styn said providing EV infrastructure is a win-win for residents and local businesses.

“Electric vehicle ownership is growing and motorists, companies and leasing firms need publically accessible charging stations, especially in the regions,” he said.

“The installation of public charging bays in the CBD will automatically make our City an EV destination allowing EV owners to explore the CBD while they charge their vehicles.

“The station will also be very convenient for locals who will be able to quickly charge their vehicles while running errands or while having a coffee with family or friends.”

The Francis Street carpark location was chosen for the charging station after a number of other CBD options were ruled out due to power network constraints.

Construction of the EV charging station will take approximately 12 weeks to complete and is budgeted under the McGowan Government's $24.1 million Electric Vehicle Fund for Western Australia. The WA EV Network will be fully operational by early 2024.

EV charging stations are also part of the State Electric Vehicle Strategy  and the initiative is part of the State Government's Electric Vehicle Action Plan which is key to boosting EV uptake in WA and helps continue the transition to net zero carbon emissions by 2050. To learn more about the WA EV Network visit: https://www.synergy.net.au/Our-energy/Projects/Electric-Vehicle-fast-charging-network