As we accelerate towards a future where most cars on Australian roads will be electric, one question to ask is, "Will fuel stations include charging ports in the future?" For some, it's too early to ask. But for others, we couldn't have asked sooner.
Several factors can swing the argument either way. Still, considering the activism for a healthier Earth and cleaner energy, fuel stations are more likely to install EV chargers. This article highlights vital points that will give you insights into what to expect a few years from now.
How Many EV Charging Stations Are in Australia Today?
As of 2020, the Electric Vehicle Council stated that there were 2,307 public EV charging stations, 357 of which are fast charging or DC charging points. These numbers are sure to rise because of what the future holds for EVs. Here’s the back story.
The number of EV charging stations is affected by two major interrelated factors, namely, (a) the number of EV vehicles, and (b) range anxiety.
Here’s what I mean by interrelated.
An entrepreneur considers it unwise to set up an EV charging station when there are no electric vehicles to charge. As a result, the charging stations that exist are few and far between. And how do potential EV customers respond? They stay away from EVs! Range anxiety—the fear of running out of battery—holds them back from buying electric cars.
According to the Electric Vehicle Council data, over 19,500 electric vehicles have been sold in Australia since 2011. In 2019, there was an increased demand for EVs by over 200%, and sales for EVs were 6,700. All indications show that more people will find EVs even more desirable now that heavyweights and favourites like Mercedes Benz and Ford already have a few electric vehicle models in their stables.
According to a projection by Infrastructure Australia, EVs will account for 70-100% of new vehicles bought in 2040 and 30% of vehicles plying Australian roads. This trend will continue to influence the opening of charging stations all around Australia.
By the way, EV owners can always charge overnight at home or the office while they work, but these charging ports are usually slower. So people who need a quick and fast top-up for their near-drained battery, or those with no provision to charge the vehicle as they sleep at night, will have to go to an EV station.
The long and short of it is, while being able to juice up your battery overnight is convenient, more charging stations will have to be set up invariably.
Can I Charge My EV at a Gas Station in Australia?
As of the time of writing this article, there are no statistics about the number or percentage of gas stations with EV chargers in Australia. However, there'll be gas stations with charging ports soon enough. So far, only a few petrol stations have installed electric ports for EVs in their gas stations across Europe, with Shell taking the lead.
Will Gas Stations in the Future Have EV Chargers?
Gas stations that will continue to ignore this demand for EV chargers will soon run out of customers. Servos are usually a one-stop shop for almost anything buyable, especially bu motorists. With a steady growth of EV users and buyers, these businesses will be wary of missing out on the market. Consequently, they’ll be forced to set up charging ports.
For instance, when the demand for EVs rose over 200% in 2019, it translated into a loss of about 7,000 customers who formerly frequented fuel stations. As the number of EV cars on Australian roads grows, the relevance of gas stations will slowly drop until it forces non-adopters out of business. So, yes, in the future, only a gas station with an EV charger will likely remain in business.
There have been well-thought debates on how EV charging ports would fit into an already congested urban environment. For instance, consider densely populated cities like Italy and China. How does one ensure a good network of EV charging ports in these crowded regions? As a result of this debate, planners have suggested that EV charging ports be incorporated into existing petrol stations to reduce the space pressure being posed by EV charging points.
That said, old habits and misconceptions about EVs may stifle progress as we march towards a safer energy-consuming future. Car nerds who prefer the old manual or automatic transmission over the torque system of EVs and people who argue that EVs are costlier to maintain could impede change. So, if you own an electric car or are considering buying one, consider installing an EV charger too. Don’t let anxiety ruin your ride to work.
Visit our blog at CarPart.com.au for more articles like this on EVs. Carpart also provides tools like Request-a-part and Directories to help you find reputable car part sellers, wreckers, and specialists near you.
By Damilare Olasinde