RAA in partnership with Chargefox will create South Australia’s first electric vehicle (EV) charging network over the next two years.
As the state’s largest member organisation, RAA has won a State Government grant worth more than $12 million to create a statewide network of EV charging points along highways, regional cities, tourist destinations and Adelaide suburbs.
Over the next two years, 536 EV charging points will be installed at 140 new locations, with more than three-quarters of these in regional SA.
RAA Managing Director Ian Stone said the announcement was a landmark moment in the transition to electric vehicles.
“RAA believes EVs are the future of motoring, and our research shows almost 80 per cent of motorists would consider buying an electric vehicle,” Stone said.
“The maximum distance between charging points will be around 250km – well within the range of a typical EV car battery.
“We know that drivers’ enthusiasm for EVs is curbed by the availability of charging points, so this new network will go a long way to allaying that range anxiety.”
RAA President Peter Siebels said, as a mutual organisation representing more than 780,000 members, RAA is well placed to understand drivers’ needs, concerns and barriers to the take up of new technologies.
“We solved range anxiety issues 120 years ago, and we’re looking forward to solving them again now,” he said.
“We applied for the grant to facilitate the uptake of electric vehicles, promote SA tourism and a reduce greenhouse gases.
“RAA’s involvement in this project is testament to our commitment to sustainability and the future of our state and we look forward to being involved in more of these initiatives as we move toward our greener future.”