Planning for an electric future
As NRMA establishes Australia’s largest electric vehicle fast-charging network, the property industry can plan for an electric future now to avoid costly retrofits tomorrow, says NRMA’s regional corporate affairs advisor Helen Machalias.
NRMA promises the network will “unlock Australia for electric vehicles”, with more than 95 per cent of its member road trips covered.
The $10 million investment will deliver at least 40 chargers, which is more than double the size of the current network of chargers in NSW and the ACT.
A fast charging station is already in operation at the NRMA’s new headquarters at Sydney Olympic Park, and a phased approach to the rollout of the network will commence with initial charger sites in Sydney, the Blue Mountains, the ACT, the Illawarra, the Mid North Coast and Newcastle.
The announcement follows the release of The Future is Electric, a report which underscores Australia’s electric vehicle potential.
The number of electric vehicles rose by 40 per cent globally between 2015 and 2016. More than two million electric vehicles are currently on the road worldwide, with predictions this could rise to 140 million by 2035.
Machalias says the property industry can encourage the shift to electric vehicles by “incorporating efficient energy supply and consideration of electric vehicle public charging stations in the planning and building of new infrastructure”.
This will avoid expensive retrofitting down the track, she explains.
“Increasingly, hotels and businesses are also allocating parking spaces for guests and employees to recharge, and this is the approach the property industry should be encouraged to plan for.”
NRMA expects the transition to electric vehicles will provide significant benefits across energy, transport, public health, infrastructure and industry development.
Low-emissions electric vehicles are not only climate-friendly, but also improve air quality, potentially slashing carbon emissions by up to 90 per cent.
Some countries, including France, the United Kingdom, India and China, are already moving towards a ban on petrol-based cars. As an importer of motor vehicles, Australia will have no choice but to adapt.
The report was developed with the Electric Vehicle Council, the national body representing the electric vehicle industry in Australia.
The council’s chief executive officer Behyad Jafari says the cost of electric vehicles are falling, particularly with the mass production of more efficient batteries, and will “match that of combustion cars as early as next year, with drivers of electric vehicles able to save up to $2,000 per year on fuel costs”.
“Owning an electric vehicle is a cost-effective option long-term,” Jafari says.
Major industry players such as Volvo, Ford, General Motors and Volkswagen are already preparing for an electric and automated future.
Machalias says wireless charging will help improve the feasibility and uptake of electric vehicles.
An “encouraging early sign” is the contract awarded to Melbourne-based Lumen to develop, manufacture and supply Qualcomm’s wireless electric vehicle charging technology. Qualcomm is a world leader in 3G, 4G and next-generation wireless technologies.
Further afield, oil and gas giant Shell recently announced the purchase of NewMotion, a company that specialises in converting parking spaces into electric charging points for electric vehicles.
“Shell will start deploying its own electric vehicle charging stations throughout Britain and the Netherlands later this year,” Machalias adds.
While NRMA expects demand for electric vehicles in Australia to rise rapidly in line with global trends, “there is still work to be done” to educate the community about the benefits of electric and automated vehicles, Machalias says.
“NRMA and the Electric Vehicle Council are currently focusing our advocacy efforts on the need for a rollout of industry charging stations across Australia – especially in rural and regional areas – and for the Australian Government to abolish the Luxury Car Tax for electric vehicles and associated infrastructure.
“In the NRMA’s The Future is Electric report, we recommend that an inter-governmental working group for sustainable road transport be established, representing governments, industry and consumers – and representatives from the property industry could play an important role in this.”