Australia to Develop Electric Vehicle Recharging Network by 2012
US Firm Better Place is working with Australian power company AGL and investors Macquarie Capital Group to develop a $667 million Australian electric car charging network.
Under the plan being developed, Better Place will use its scalable model (currently adopted in Denmark and Israel) to build the electric vehicle network, AGL will deliver electricity from renewable resources and Macquarie will help raise the investment dollars needed.
Electric vehicle networks would be developed in Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane, each with between 200 000 and 250 000 charging stations. As well, switching stations will be built in each city and on the highways in order to allow drivers to have their batteries automatically replaced.
While this project is being developed solely by private companies, it has received some high-level attention and support in Australia, with the State of Victoria’s Premier John Brumby noting:
The Victorian Government supports any initiative that will have positive outcomes in reducing emissions in the transport sector and welcomes this innovative approach to help make broad adoption of [electric vehicles] in Australia possible
AGL Group General Manager Jeff Dimery is excited about the opportunities for his company to develop and expand its renewables portfolio, as he foresees a shift in demand towards renewables based on this project:
AGL is committed to increasing its renewable energy generation and believes it is important to collaborate and implement cross-industry initiatives to counter climate change. Because [electric vehicles] charge primarily at night, they can maximize the potential of intermittent renewable energy such as wind.
Customers would purchase plans with varying rates that would suit their needs, similar to cell phone contracts. So, rather than going to the gas station, you could buy your electricity online and then just head over the charging or switching station.
No question that this project still has a few hurdles to overcome, but one of the biggest, provision of vehicles, should be taken care of in the next few years. Mass market electric vehicles are projected to be available for the 2012 model year in Australia, and project sponsor believe that they will provide a competitively priced alternative to current vehicle models. Renault-Nissan and General Motors both plan on releasing electric vehicle models in the next few years.
Image Credit: electric vehicles by TheTruthAbout… via Flickr’s Creative Commons
