Ballina Shire Council Mayor, Sharon Cadwallader with Council’s Sustainability Officer – Climate Sharyn Hunnisett.
Electric Vehicle (EV) infrastructure company, EVX is continuing to deliver convenient kerbside charging to regional Australia, launching one of its Australian-made dual EVX Pole chargers to Ballina Shire. The new charger is open to the public, located at 44 Cherry Street Ballina in the heart of the CBD, close to Northern Rivers Regional Art Gallery, shops, cafes, and other tourist destinations.
As an alternative to waiting for highway-adjacent ‘rapid charging’, kerbside EV charging allows users to benefit from charging while stopping incidentally at their destination. This type of charging infrastructure is quick to install and is proving critical to tackling bottlenecks at other charging facilities, particularly during holiday periods.
EVX CEO, Andrew Forster, said: “Ballina is a bustling town and holiday destination, but to date, the charging infrastructure hasn’t met the demand – particularly during key holiday periods where we are seeing queues at rapid charging stations along the main highways, up and down the coast.”
As the number of EVs on Australia’s roads continues to increase, the availability of charging opportunities needs to increase too. We are excited to be part of the solution to bring more EV charging to Ballina Shire.”
Ballina Shire Council Mayor, Sharon Cadwallader, added: “Ballina Shire Council is thrilled to celebrate the installation of new electric vehicle charging stations on Cherry Street in Ballina. This fantastic collaboration with Essential Energy and EVX reflects our dedication to working hand-in-hand with the community and industry to seek innovative and sustainable solutions for our region.”
Council is proud to lead the way in sustainability with our bold vision of achieving 100% renewable electricity usage and net-zero emissions as an organisation by 2030. Our Climate Change Policy also includes actions to progress climate change mitigation, adaptation, and resilience strategies for the community.”
Our role as a leader in the community is to inspire others to join us in this journey toward a greener, more sustainable future for all. We are not just meeting targets — we’re leading by example by supporting this partnership. This new EV charging station will help to grow the EV network in our region and support our community to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.”
The new EV charger is located conveniently in the Ballina CBD and will encourage visitors to stop, charge their vehicles, and explore our town centre — supporting local businesses and contributing to the vibrancy of our community.”
The kerbside chargers are delivered as part of an alliance with Councils, EVX and electricity networks which see chargers installed on utility pole infrastructure across Australia. The new charger in Ballina Shire is in addition to the growing number of EVX chargers across the NSW mid-north and north coast regions, including Byron Bay, Hawks Nest and Port Macquarie, as well as in Newcastle and across Sydney.
Kerbside charging essential for regional Australia
The Australian Automobile Association’s EV Index shows that battery electric (BEV) and plug-in hybrid vehicle (PHEV) sales represented 9.6 per cent of new light vehicles sold in the second quarter of 2024[1]. Whilst this is good news for EV sales, regional areas are struggling to provide the infrastructure needed to sustain local EV drivers and EV-driving tourists.
Forster comments: “The barriers to buying an EV are starting to disappear, but as EV numbers on our roads quickly rise, there’s a lot of work to do to ensure Australia’s charging infrastructure keeps pace, particularly in rural and regional Australia which have so far been lagging city and metro areas.”
“When regional areas fall behind, this not only contributes to the range anxiety experienced by EV owners who travel longer distances, it also disincentivises those in regional areas to make the important switch to EVs.”
EVX’s one-of-a-kind kerbside chargers can be installed with ease and have a low impact on the local electricity grid infrastructure by utilising AC charging with smart charging capability. Their installation on existing power poles means the above ground charging points are easily added without the need for major civil works.
EVX is one of the only charging technologies that has been locally designed and manufactured and is compliant with Australian regulations. EVX can partner with electricity distributors to install chargers on existing electricity infrastructure, enabling a more cost-effective and quicker rollout of EV chargers.
EVX developed the EVX Polecharger from the ground up to meet the challenges utility providers and local governments face in rolling out EV charging infrastructure sustainably while adhering to local electrical and planning regulations.
How will customers use the chargers?
Drivers simply download the EVX Australia app, scan the QR code on the charging point and start charging. The EVX app shows the user which chargers are available (chargers cannot be pre-booked). Users will need to bring the charging cable associated with their individual vehicle (EVX’s chargers utilise the industry standard type two charging cable available for all EVs).
What is the charging rate?
The unit is an AC dual 22kw (total 44kw) ready charger. As vehicle manufacturers increase the AC charging capacity of their vehicles, EVX’s software can allow for updates to the capacity remotely. Charging time will depend on vehicle specifications and battery utilisation.
About EVX
Founded in 2021, EVX is one of the country’s newest EV charging infrastructure companies. Recognising the lack of infrastructure for EV users without access to adequate home charging, founders Sean McGinty and Kevin Mooney took this challenge head-on.
The driving force behind EVX Australia is comprised of experts in their respective fields including engineers and senior managers from the telecommunications and automotive industries who have delivered public infrastructure and major projects in Australia and abroad.
EVX uses cutting-edge technology in its long-dwell chargers, giving drivers access to infrastructure that is crucial to promoting and accelerating the adoption of electric vehicles. The technology makes it easier and more convenient for people to charge their vehicles using 100 per cent green energy.
For more information visit https://evx.tech/.
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