Tyler Redway
A LONG-awaited Mount Gambier/Berrin Electric Vehicle (EV) charging super site was officially opened this Monday in a bid to eliminate the South East’s EV black spots.
The site came as the second of the Royal Automobile Association’s (RAA) new charge network, which aims to establish a total of 530 charging stations in 140 different locations.
The site, located within the Sturt Street car park, consists of nine charging bays with a capacity of 200 kilowatts each.
The project was completed in collaboration with Country Arts SA, as they now act as the charging stations’ joint site hosts.
Representatives unveiling the finished project included RAA EV Charging program director Andrew Howard, Country Arts SA chief financial officer Anthony Jones, City of Mount Gambier Mayor Lynette Martin, RAA Charge program manager Anita Saunders and Country Arts SA Arts Centres leader Susan Baldwin.
Ms Martin said the city council was “delighted” to see the project finally come to fruition for the community.
“I enjoyed watching it be developed every day as I came to work and when I saw the finished product, I thought it looked very attractive as well as being very useful for our drivers,” Ms Martin said.
“Having it here in the natural centre of our Central Business District (CBD) and availing the hospitality and retail offers the city has is a delight for us.”
Ms Martin said while there may be some initial complaints about the charging stations occupying parking spaces, it would most likely not be a long-term issue.
“When you look around, we do have ample parking here for patrons of the library, so I don’t see it as a long-term issue at all,” she said.
“I think initially when something is taken away from people, then they can be alarmed at first but I’m sure they will still find spaces available.
“It is important we have this facility in this space given the proximity to the CBD.”
Mr Howard said Mount Gambier/Berrin EV drivers would now have the ability to charge their vehicles for as little as 10 to 40 minutes while being able to experience all the city’s CBD had to offer.
He said with the addition of the new charging station, it would help keep the region up to date with the increasing demand for electric vehicles.
“We are often asked about the location of our chargers and why we choose one location over another and clearly amenity, safety and security and access to power are all important factors,” Mr Howard said.
“A key consideration and priority for us as we roll out this network is to really make sure we are putting them in places where we are backing the investment of self-driving tourism.
“We know SA Tourism tells us that 95 per cent of visitors to the South East are self-drive tourists and as EVs are increasing in population in the state as well as across the border, it is really important that infrastructure such as these charging stations keeps up with the EV uptake.”
Mr Howard said roughly 75 per cent of the RAA’s charge network would be located in regional South Australian towns.
He said the new site was an addition to the four pre-existing charging stations in Mount Gambier/Berrin.
“That really means important towns like Mount Gambier, which is both a tourist destination but also an important thoroughfare town, will be on the EV map for self-drive tourists,” he said.
“It makes the route through Mount Gambier an option now and we have couple of other sites coming in at Tailem Bend, Coonalpyn and Meningie so once they are filled out and we have the South East covered, then it really will be an option both for Adelaide drivers and residents in Mount Gambier.”
Mr Howard said about 40 per cent of the South East’s EV charging network customers were from interstate.
He said the charging stations were a big factor which owners of EVs needed to consider when going on holiday in the region.
“It is a factor for EV drivers when they are planning holidays, they need to find the right infrastructure and if there is a lack of it then those towns are off the map so they are being bypassed,” Mr Howard.
“I think to an extent the South East has been in that category over the last 12 to 24 months, so it really creates a huge amount of capacity with the nine bays to put it on the map.
“If your only option is to go on a holiday going through towns with EV chargers then typically some towns will be left off if they do not have those options.
“It is absolutely critical for South Australia in general to have this infrastructure and for the community here in Mount Gambier it really is an important factor to be on the EV map.”
