Mitchell Shire Council is supporting the transition to electric vehicles, EVs, with the installation of the shire’s first public EV fast-charging stations.
The charging stations, installed in Broadford and Kilmore, will provide fast and reliable charging for residents and people visiting or passing through the shire.
Two 24kW DC EV charging stations, located in the carpark at the council’s Broadford offices on Murchison Street and the Kilmore Library at 12 Sydney Street, are available for public use.
Electric vehicle drivers will pay 40 centre per kilowatt for the electricity they use, with payment made through the Chargefox app.
The combined CCS2/CHAdeMO plug configuration is compatible with most electric vehicles, although an adapter may be required for Tesla models S and X.
It will take between 30 and 80 minutes to charge a car depending on the vehicle type and battery.
Mitchell Shire Mayor Fiona Stevens said the number of people choosing to drive an electric vehicle was growing rapidly, but a lack of charging stations was a deterrent for many.
She said providing more publicly accessible charging stations, particularly in regional and rural areas was a positive step to making electric vehicles a viable choice for more people.
“Providing fast and reliable electric vehicle charging options for residents and visitors passing through Mitchell Shire supports the transition towards cleaner and more climate friendly forms of transport,” she said.
“Transport is the fastest growing source of emissions in Australia and by providing the infrastructure to support lower emissions vehicles we are making a difference.
“The new electric vehicle chargers in Broadford and Kilmore will also help open up the shire to new tourism potential and benefitting our local economy.”
Cr Stevens said charging stations provided an indirect financial benefit to the shire’s economy as tourists lingered to shop or dine while their vehicle charged.
The charging stations in Kilmore and Broadford are located close to cafes, public restrooms, walking tracks and retail outlets.
The project is a partnership between the State Government and council, with a $50,600 grant through the Destination Charging Across Victoria program, and council investing $51,350.
The charging stations are part of a council goal to support the transition to low-emission forms of transport. The charging stations are powered by 100 per cent renewable energy.
Council is investigating strategies to reduce emissions from its fleet, including the use of hybrid vehicles such as the Mayor’s Mitsubishi Outlander plug-in hybrid electric vehicle.
.
