Queensland produces “how-to” guide for electric vehicle charging

The Queensland state government is backing up its world-leading electric vehicle super-highway with the release of an Australia-first guide to installing EV chargers for property owners, planners and developers.

The Labor Palaszczuk government has been virtually alone, aside from the ACT, in actively driving electric vehicle uptake, which in Australia lags drastically behind the global pace.

According to numerous reports, a lack of supporting infrastructure – and the associated so-called “range anxiety” this lack of charging facilities might foster – are key among the barriers to the uptake of battery electric vehicles in Australia.

Among the Queensland government’s policy initiatives has been the establishment of the Queensland Electric Super Highway, or QESH – a series of EV fast-charging stations that stretches from the Gold Coast to Cairns, a distance the government claims as the world’s longest in any one state.

The release, on Monday, of the Electric Vehicle Charging Infrastructure Practice Note, shifts the focus to private and commercial charging, with the main aim of helping to remove confusion, or reluctance, around installing the technology as EV ownership gains momentum.

The publication, among other things, addresses questions around basic AC charging versus fast DC charging; types of technology available; choosing the right site for installation; and capital and operational costs.

“This EV guide provides information on installing the appropriate electric vehicle charging infrastructure in new and existing buildings,” said the minister for state development, infrastructure and planning, Cameron Dick.

A simple checklist for differing locations is provided to make the planner or property owners’ job much easier.

“The guide has information on a range of building types, from workplaces, tourism destinations, shopping centres, right through to fast and ultra-fast charging on highways,” he said.