Moreland has more EVs with a 60% increase in the use of the city council’s charging stations since 2017.
A second fast-charge station at Boundary Road, North Coburg, brings Moreland’s charging stations to 10 – the highest number of free-to-use, renewably powered public EV chargers owned and operated by any Victorian council.
In 2013, the council incorporated its first EV in its now zero-emissions fleet and Moreland became home to the first fast charger installed in Victoria.
The Melbourne municipality now boasts two 50kW DC chargers with capacity to fully charge a drained battery within three hours.
With almost 450 charging locations across Australia and many more underway, Moreland mayor Natalie Abboud says a boom in the uptake of EVs in Australia is set to spur further investment in charging infrastructure.
“We’re looking to install more stations in Moreland at suitable sites, encouraging the private sector to install EV charging stations and we’re looking at conducting a feasibility study on the installation of on-street charging stations,” she says.
“Our forward-thinking Zero Carbon Moreland action plan is becoming increasingly robust, and we’re taking significant steps towards this goal by encouraging the uptake of zero-emissions vehicles and promoting zero-emissions transportation.”
Since January 1, 2019, Moreland council’s electricity has been powered by 100% home-grown renewable energy through its partnership with the Melbourne Renewable Energy Project.
The council’s city futures director Kirsten Coster says renewably powered battery personal transport and fuel cell powered commercial and public transport will play an equally important role in its vision for a zero-emissions future.
“Using the right technology for the right application will create a well-balanced and resource responsible path to sustainable transport policies.”
Each EV in the council’s fleet saves about 2.5 tonnes of greenhouse emissions annually and improves air quality. The EVs also significantly reduce the council’s fleet operational costs.
Australia could eliminate 6% of its total greenhouse gas emissions if everyone drove a battery electric vehicle (BEV) charged by renewable energy, according to the Electric Vehicle Council.
