Tasmania to charge forward

The Climate Change Office of Australia’s island state Tasmania has announced grants to help local businesses install electric vehicle charging stations. In addition to the ChargeSmart scheme, Tasmania’s first ultra-rapid electric vehicle charging station will open in Campbell Town by the end of the year.

Grants of up to $50,000 are now available for Tasmanian organisations to purchase and install Direct Current (DC) electric vehicle charging stations. The chargers must be available for public use. The grants are open to all incorporated businesses and organisations with Australian business number. The grants are for Fast and Destination charging, a terminology familiar from Tesla’s own infrastructure deployment. Among other things, the chargers must be able to provide a minimum charge rate of 50kW Direct Current (DC) fast charging and have both CHAdeMO and Combined Charging System (CCS) Combo 2 (Type 2) plugs.

Tasmania’s first ultra-rapid electric vehicle charging station will open in Campbell Town by the end of the year. The 350 kW station will be installed by Australian charging network Chargefox. Although Australia’s conservative Liberal Party currently in government has been notoriously slow on measures to support the uptake of electrification of transport, Tasmania’s Liberal Party government has decided to now charge ahead regardless. Tasmania is about the same size as Ireland, and boasts virgin forests over one third of the entire island as well as endless wind, solar and wave energy, should these be appropriately harnessed.

techau.com.au, dpac.tas.gov.au (grants) thedriven.io, examiner.com (fast charging network)