Charging ahead: NRMA's EV charging game plan

For over a century, the National Roads and Motorists' Association (NRMA) has been at the forefront of Australia's motoring journey.

From the transition from horse and cart to automobiles in the 1920s, to the dawn of the electric vehicle era today, NRMA has been a trusted guide, tackling the evolving challenges of transportation.

The 1930s saw the organisation focusing on road safety and accessibility. As the decades passed, NRMA expanded its mission, undertaking initiatives to make driving safer, more efficient, and more accessible.

Among other initiatives, this has included advocating for seatbelts, emission testing for new cars, and setting up young driver education programs.

Entering the 21st century, the organisation continues to innovate and lead, by remaining a steadfast champion for Australian motorists and helping to foster an exciting future of electric and sustainable transportation.

To date, this has manifested in the creation of a free electric vehicle fast-charging network for drivers, EV Drive Days to make testing EVs more accessible for more people, the creation of an EV community hub, electric vehicle reviews as well as buying, owning and charging guides.

Now, NRMA is readying to take the next ambitious step in its mission to be a reliable and trustworthy electric vehicle resource for its members, to make sure no Australian is left behind when it comes to the EV transition.

Put simply, this means that the NRMA will provide a range of EV charging solutions from fast-charging to slower charging solutions for work and holidays, nationally.

NRMA first started rolling up its sleeves six years ago to make life easier for EV drivers to top-up their batteries on the go by installing more than 50 fast-charging stations across New South Wales.

These charging stations, which have been free to use for all EV owners, have been strategically spread predominantly across regional NSW recognising this is where the largest gaps are likely to exist.

These were just the start of an ambitious plan to overcome one of the biggest hurdles to EV adoption - "range anxiety," or the fear of running out of juice on longer drives.

You bet, every big journey has its bumps and the NRMA's free EV charging network has been no exception.

There's been a fair share of challenges, including the sheer size of the state of NSW and maintaining the infrastructure needed for such a project at a time when guaranteeing parts and supplies has been a challenge for many industries.

It’s fair to say that growing pains are part of any game-changing innovation, right? Part of the process in rolling out this early technology has included learning about its capabilities, sharing this knowledge with site partners, and then looking to the next generation of chargers to address known issues.

Beyond the network itself, the NRMA has been busy advocating for more investment in EV infrastructure. They've called on government and industry to work together to expand Australia's charging network and make EVs an even more practical choice for Aussie motorists.

And it’s paying off: we’ve seen industry and government come together to develop strategies to enable EV adoption, as well as funding programs to develop comprehensive EV charging networks statewide.

As announced in May, NRMA is making moves to establish a nationwide network of ultra-fast EV charging stations using the next generation of charging technology.

This initiative, bolstered by a robust funding partnership of $78.6 million from the federal government, puts a special emphasis on integrating regional communities into a national network, ensuring everyone is part of the ongoing EV revolution.

Being the largest mutual in Australia, the NRMA is perfectly positioned to drive this essential initiative forward. Its position as a member-owned organisation allows for long-term investments that provide extensive benefits to the wider community.

As more Australians turn to electric vehicles, this partnership's mission is to make sure no one is left behind – especially those in regional Australia.

The new national network plan

The plan involves constructing at least 117 fast-charging sites with a minimum of four plugs on two concurrent units with 300kW of total charging capacity along the national highway network, turning the concept of 'range anxiety' into a thing of the past.

Importantly, the plan will see charger locations selected in population centres of more than 10,000 people, in a way that links regions along well-travelled routes.

The aim is for chargers to be on average 150km apart. Sometimes this may be a little less and sometimes a bit more, dependent on finding suitable sites based on optimal amenities, safety and grid connection.

Strengthening the network and addressing gaps

Locations are being chosen with an eye to striking a balance between existing networks and areas that need coverage, ensuring connectivity along routes most travelled by Australians and at the same time, providing connectivity along major highway networks travelled most frequently.

Some of the new ultra-fast chargers will create much needed redundancy in certain parts of the network already under significant pressure,  addressing congestion and reducing the likelihood that downtime on any particular unit puts a site completely out of action, leaving drivers stranded.

There will also be new locations to address blackpots along major highway routes that drivers frequently travel (for work or for holiday).

And, in these black spot areas (particularly remote areas), a lack of grid connectivity will be addressed with battery storage, powered by renewables. These solutions will also include telecommunications facilities, enabling the use of smartphones and apps at these locations.

Introducing a user pays system

To support the next phase of the EV transition, NRMA will charge for the use of the new network, ensuring its longevity and discouraging “hogging”. Subscriber packages will be on offer to give members value for money - more on this soon.

NRMA is taking the time to make sure this national network is more than “fit for purpose” - it will be designed with the aim of providing a consistent and future-proofed EV charging experience for all Australian EV drivers.

This investment in technology will not only provide peace of mind to local EV owners but will also make regional charging options more visible for holiday-goers travelling in electric vehicles.

44 new charging sites under co-funded Queensland program

In addition to the national ultra-fast charging network, NRMA will join forces with other states to support the rollout of EV infrastructure beyond NSW. For example, the NRMA will be one of the EV infrastructure providers installing 44 new fast-charging electric vehicle (EV) across Queensland by the end of 2024.

This ambitious project, co-funded in partnership with the Queensland government, will enhance the existing Queensland Electric Super Highway and facilitate more efficient travel for EV users. Successful applicants to the $10 million co-funding scheme also include Evie Networks, Engie, RACQ and Tesla.

The Queensland network will aim to reduce wait times at charging stations for EV drivers, minimising disruption to journeys and enabling a more seamless driving experience.

The improved accessibility of these charging points will be an attractive proposition for potential EV owners, encouraging the shift towards cleaner transportation.

Charging stations will be distributed throughout Queensland, in strategic locations such as Agnes Water, Airlie Beach, Alpha, Atherton, and more.

Importantly, certain sites will create greater redundancy at certain sites, offering further convenience to EV users: these include Bundaberg, Cairns, Dalby, Hervey Bay, Ingham, Mackay, Rockhampton, Toowoomba, and Townsville.

An A1 size map illustrating the expanded network of co-funded locations alongside the existing Queensland Electric Superhighway sites is available here.

Upon completion, the NRMA co-funded charging locations will eventually be listed on the NRMA app, providing real-time information on charging station availability to EV users, as well as on the PlugShare app and website.

NSW funds EV charging network expansion

The NRMA also continues to lead the charge in the further expansion of the electric vehicle charging network in NSW in partnership with the NSW Government. This is thanks to a $5.39 million co-funding commitment for an additional 11 EV charging stations across the state.

Each of these stations will house four charging bays, with a hefty 500kW of charge being dished out across the whole site!

This means less time waiting around for your EV to charge, especially if it can handle higher charging capacities (remember, how fast your car can charge will depend on your model’s internal maximum capacity).

First announced in October 2022, these additions extend the NRMA's fast-charging network to over 99 locations across NSW. The game plan is to give a boost to key tourism and transport corridors, such as the Hume, Newell, Sturt, Oxley, Great Barrier, Mitchell, Pacific, Olympic, and Great Western highways.

And here's something that will put a smile on the faces of EV drivers - a lot of these new stations are getting their own batteries, which means less pressure on the electricity grid.

Adding to these already extensive network plans, the NRMA is also joining forces with private partners to amplify the EV-charging landscape and extend knowledge of ways (and when) people charge.

Two such initiatives include the one at The International Convention Centre Sydney (ICC Sydney) with Ocular Charging, and with the City of Wollongong.

Free EV charging at the ICC with Ocular

After the NRMA gave the green light, Ocular Charging, with help from EVSE Australia, hit the ground running. The IQ Dual Tower and the IQ Commercial Single Port charging hardware (7 kW) – were operational in one week and just in time for the first Fully Charged EV show in May, with a grand total of 25 EV chargers making convenience and accessibility a top priority for everyone attending the ICC.

The NRMA, decided to make these EV chargers available to the public at absolutely no cost. It’s just another way of encouraging trust and confidence in different types of charging technology, propelling the shift towards sustainable transportation and curbing our collective carbon footprint.

Powering the ‘Gong: A strategic south coast corridor

Did you know that the NRMA has also zoomed in on Wollongong, the city with the highest electric vehicle (EV) uptake in NSW outside Sydney?

NRMA is helping supercharge Wollongong's enthusiastic adoption of EVs by installing six fast chargers in Wollongong over the next two years as part of the NSW Government’s $149 million Fast Charging Grants initiative.

It’s already made a start with the installation and operation of two fast chargers - one of which has a maximum charge rate of 150kW.

The first site, which sits on Stewart Street, links Wollongong with other fast chargers located in Berry and Batemans Bay in the south, and Picton and Mittagong in the southern highlands.

Stay tuned for more on this!

In addition, NRMA recognises that having a trusted and reliable place to stay and recharge (and not just the car!) when travelling is important, so plans to extend its EV charging services to DC fast charging and AC destination charging at holiday destinations. 

We can’t tell you much more just yet but NRMA is working on it! Suffice to say: stay tuned for more information on more places you can plug in, recharge and play!