The Hunter Valley Gardens station at Pokolbin is the NRMA’s fourth electric vehicle fast charging station location to open to the public, with sites at Sydney Olympic Park, Wallsend and Jindabyne. The NRMA has committed a $10 million investment to build one of Australia’s largest fast charging networks across NSW and the ACT.
NRMA Chief Investment Officer Rachel Wiseman said the latest instalment would open up the Upper Hunter and lower New England region to electric vehicle motorists.
“EV motorists visiting the beautiful Hunter wine region can now be assured that they can charge their vehicles quickly, giving them time to enjoy one of the world’s best wine regions,” Ms Wiseman said.
“While the station will help the 190,000 NRMA Members who live in the region, it will also be available to the four million visitors the Hunter Valley receives each year.
“We have strategically placed chargers at sites where people can stretch their legs and have access to amenities while charging their cars. The Hunter Valley Gardens site is a particularly exciting one for our network – 45 per cent of visitors to the region come by road from Sydney.
“The NRMA is committed to building a network that will cover about 95 per cent of electric vehicle journeys in NSW and the ACT by placing a fast charger every 150 kilometres. Today’s announcement is the next exciting step in bringing that network to life.
“Australia’s uptake of electric vehicles has been slow and we know one of the key reasons for that is range anxiety. As the NRMA’s network continues to roll out, range anxiety will diminish and we hope that more Australians will look to an electric vehicle future.”
The site has been delivered with the support of the Hunter Valley Gardens, in the heart of the third most visited region in the state.
Dominic Roche from Roche Group said that Hunter Valley Gardens were very pleased to partner with the NRMA to provide a location for EV motorists to charge their cars.
“Being a nature-based attraction, the Gardens are delighted to support drivers who have made the switch to electric vehicles,” Mr Roche said.
“Park, charge and explore an array of Gardens from around the world, grab a bite to eat or stroll through the shopping village.
