Two more 350kW ultra-rapid chargers for NSW

Australia’s DC fast charging is now slightly larger following the opening of two more 350kW stations in NSW by Chargefox.

The new sites in Karuah and Shell Cove – each within a few hours of Sydney – add to Australia’s largest EV charging network and take the total number of “ultra-rapid” 350kW Chargefox charging locations to 13, with nine more planned by the end of 2020.

Each of the new sites is well timed for the upcoming NSW school holidays and an expected increase in local vehicle travel, with international borders still closed due to COVID-19.

Anecdotal evidence suggests EV sales have weathered the COVID storm better than internal combustion engine cars, albeit off a very low base – and many Sydneysiders are expected to hit the road to explore during the mid-year school holidays.

“Our public charging network facilitates EV travel within NSW and interstate, and soon it will be even easier to travel long distances without any long charging stops,” says Chargefox CEO Marty Andrews.

The new high-powered chargers are more reassurance for EV shoppers and drivers rather than something they’ll use every day.

“Most of the ultra-rapid chargers are to connect the capital cities,” says Andrews. A lot of it is about reassuring people when they buy an EV that the infrastructure is out there.

“People will go into a dealer and they’ll look and an EV and say ‘what if I want to drive Melbourne to Sydney?’. Most people don’t do that – or they do it incredibly rarely – but they want to know that it’s there, so it’s a psychological reassurance.”

Each new fast charging site has two 350kW Tritium chargers with ChAdeMO and CCS plugs to cater for all battery electric and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles, although Tesla owners will need an adapter.

The Karuah site also has an additional 50kW fast charger.

The setup of the sites included funding from the Australian Renewable Energy Agency and motoring clubs such as the NRMA, RACV and RACQ.

No EVs currently on sale in Australia can utilise the full 350kW charge capacity, but Chargefox says it is future-proofing its network in the face of an onslaught of new EV machinery over coming years.

The upcoming Porsche Taycan – which has an 800V electrical architecture versus 400V for others EVs – will have the capability to accept a 270kW charge.

Tesla’s Model 3 can currently charge at up to the maximum 120kW currently provided by Tesla Superchargers, but Tesla is also expected to begin upgrading some of those chargers to V3 superchargers with up to 250kW. Some Tesla Model 3s will be able to charge at that rate.

Chargefox is deep into its national expansion of its charging network, ensuring more parts of the country are covered before increasing the number of chargers in prime locations.

“We need to get coverage first … then we need to get density,” says Andrews.

“Density will be driven by usage patterns. Where are people charging and how do they charge so you can figure out the locations and what sort of power needs you have.”