Tesla Plans $3.5m EV Charging Hub in Albury

Tesla has unveiled plans to build a massive electric vehicle (EV) charging hub in Albury, on the New South Wales–Victoria border. The tech giant has applied for a permit to build a $3.5 million, 37-car charging station on a vacant 1,300-square-metre lot in the Albury suburb of Thurgoona, about 2.5 kilometres from the Hume Highway.

Plans for the Charging Hub

Digital renders of the proposed site include details of solar panels on canopies over bays, which would generate up to 100 kilowatts of power. According to the development application lodged with Albury City Council, the proposal is expected to mainly serve drivers on long-distance trips along the highway.

The proposed site, which is slated to feature Tesla's V4 chargers, is next door to a gym and directly opposite a supermarket hub. Tesla has been contacted for comment.

Charging Infrastructure Expanding Rapidly

If approved, the proposed charging station would be the largest public hub in Australia, expanding on the 16-space Tesla charger currently in Albury CBD which opened three years ago. Wagga Wagga councillors are also considering running an expression of interest for new chargers at the Tarcutta truck-stop site, another mid-point between Sydney and Melbourne.

Tesla is also looking at expanding its offerings between Melbourne and Adelaide, by nearly doubling the number of chargers it has in the western Victorian town of Kaniva.

Industry Insights

Vehicle Charging Solutions Australia director Ross De Rango said charging sites near highways were seen as competitive prospects. He said state governments should be involved in building charging infrastructure in areas away from major arterials.

"In a time where the rate of [EV] cars being on the road has gone up by a factor of three, the amount of charging infrastructure has gone up by a factor of 12," he said.

"So, we're not just keeping up, we're running ahead of the curve."

However, University of Melbourne associate professor Milad Haghani said charging infrastructure would have a serious job keeping up if the EV sales boom continued.

"If even a fraction of this demand continues into the future, that means that the infrastructure has some catching up to do," he said.

RACV motoring editor Terry Martin said EV popularity was surging online and that many companies were rushing to install charging sites to keep up with demand.

"As RACV runs its own public charging sites, we know it's important that Australia's EV charging network continues to grow, keeping pace with fast-rising sales of electric cars," Mr Martin said.

"More than 180,000 EVs have been sold this year, and a lot of those will be hitting the highway over summer."

Recent data shows regional electric vehicle charging hubs rarely face congestion, but can become very congested during peak periods like public holidays.

Albury Council has a public notification for the development on display until October 21, while a council assessment report is due by the end of November.