S
New user

New user

 • 

6 Messages

Monday, September 19th, 2022 1:32 AM

Kempower units for NSW too?

2 pronged question for anyone at NRMA reading these...

Does anyone at NRMA know if NSW will also get the more reliable Kempower units that WA & SA are getting?

Is there a timetable from Chargefox for the installations nationwide (now it's fully owned by the motoring groups).

There are announcements, but no timetables (by the end of 2023 isn't a timetable).

When it comes to drivers in regional areas & non-Tesla drivers, the information is scant, yet this is vital for any potential buyers - to gain confidence they can travel & charge.

Yes, I look at Plugshare regularly. Not many orange spanners (construction) at the moment.

Silver user

 • 

251 Messages

2 years ago

@Stevens sorry for the delay here. I don't think we can discount any options around charging solutions as our team are always looking at different infrastructure options. We are looking at new sites, with some listed as coming soon - but with some more sites being planned still. 

We'll reach out to Chargefox to see whether any more light can be shed on their expansion plans too. What areas would you like to see included with charging infrastructure? 

New user

 • 

6 Messages

@NRMA_Paul​ To say 'all areas' is an understatement.

When prospective EV buyers start hunting for information, they get a wall of announcements but there just needs to be more evidence of momentum, or they'll simply get discouraged by the apparent lack of progress.

Examples:

  • When encouraged to look at Plugshare, there are hardly any new builds in the system
  • When looking at existing site locations in Plugshare they see one solitary charger in the middle of nowhere (& no mention of site expansion)
  • RAA is expanding the network in network in SA with Chargefox, but aside from 'by the end of 2024' there's no detail when sites are expected to come online (i.e. month & year).
  • The NRMA's test drive day is way out of Newcastle. I know it's a race track, but if there are no planned 'show & shine's' in the areas where there's heavy foot traffic (i.e. the mass adopters), it's a huge missed opportunity. My wife & I did one at the entrance to a sustainable living fair the other weekend & were constantly in conversation with people that hadn't even seen one up close before. Even plonking one in the middle of a Westfield & opening the doors will get people curious.

I understand the pricing & availability of vehicles is outside of the control of motoring groups & the cost of DC chargers isn't cheap. From an early adopter standpoint, the lack of 'on the ground' advancement in the last 6 months is really frustrating.

We're happy to be advocates. That's why we made the change early. But advocates need more  than broad announcements to help deal with the FUD.

Sorry if this appears a bit rant-ish.

We feel like parents running late for school & one of the kids has lost a shoe...

Silver user

 • 

251 Messages

That’s fair enough @Stevens and we appreciate your honesty here. No apology needed as your frustrations are warranted. We know that part of the reason for our investment in infrastructure for EVs was to ensure that we could play a key role in addressing concerns around lack of charging with our focus on regional areas.
 

We're proud of the charger network we've created, but it's far from perfect. Amongst other things, there are supply chain challenges that have created ongoing issues. As EV use expands, this is becoming a significant pain point for many drivers, and we know we need to move faster in strengthening this network. Ultimately, we want more people driving EVs but we need to be making sure the infrastructure is there to support that as well, but still have some hurdles to overcome.
 

We are aware, the NSW Govt have mapped out their charging master plan, claiming NSW will be the easiest place to use an EV in Australia with a $131 million investment to develop a world-class charging network which does give an indication of upcoming sites – although I can understand it will take some time – which is frustrating for existing EV owners.
 

We’re definitely looking at hosting more EV drive days, but also wanted to make sure we head to regional areas as well as busier metro locations so people can get up close to an EV, test drive or ask questions. We’ll be able to share more locations to hopefully make it accessible to as many people as possible.
 

Your comments are extremely helpful too, and something we’ve shared with our EV team too. As soon as we have more information, news or updates – we’ll be looking to share with you and other drivers in our community. 

EV community admin

Loading...