Australian EV company EVX has announced installation plans for about 1,000 kerbside charging points throughout Australia in the next 2 years with the help of UK-based RV charging company Connected Kerb.
EVX said the public can utilize the first ready-to-use units by the first quarter of 2023.
The lack of kerbside charging is seen as one of the major barriers to the uptake of EVs, particularly for people living in apartment blocks which cannot accommodate chargers in their own carports, according to a news report by The Driven.
The installation network, if delivered, could stand as a game changer for EV drivers in Australia, who currently charge their vehicles at home or, if provided, at the workplace.
In 2021, Australia sold just around 20,000 RVs, making up about 2% of new car sales. These projections suggest that nine out of ten cars sold in 2030 will be powered by battery-electric. Many believe that EV sales are likely to double this year.
Currently, Australia only has a handful of kerbside charging units under trial and fewer actual units installed.
The units include a port launched by Port Philip Council earlier this year and an Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA)-funded trial with plans to have 50 charging points installed to kerbside power poles in nine local council areas in New South Wales.
Charging units by Connected Kerb also differ from traditional charging stations, with a two-part system composed of an above-ground charge socket, which can be fitted into a structure, while the pack for power and data is underground in a protective steel box.
The company also has 10,000 kerbside charging points spread throughout the UK.
EVX said this development would support councils, fleet management companies, and other commercial spaces to have access to EV charging stations without having to install substations and additional infrastructure.