Motorists will now be able to charge their electric vehicles at the commuter car park near Penrith station.
Penrith is one of 50 new locations to have an electric vehicle charger thanks to an agreement between the State Government and JOLT.
“It is fantastic our community will be one of the first transport hubs in the state to benefit from publicly available electric vehicle chargers,” said State Member for Penrith, Karen McKeown.
“In the last year, EV registrations have risen more than 150 per cent on average across NSW and more than tripled here in Penrith, and we hope making it easier for drivers to top up charge as part of their commute will encourage this transition.”
JOLT offers drivers a free 7kWh top-up for electric vehicles, or up to approximately 45 kilometers worth of fast charging every day, which takes about 17 minutes, depending on your car.
The chargers use certified green energy meaning they deliver energy directly from renewable sources or through certified offsets and will be a convenient way for drivers to top their charge up for free.
Once users have reached the 7kWh, a cost of $0.46 will apply for each subsequent kilowatt hour and an idle fee of $1.00 per minute will be charged to vehicles still plugged in and occupying the space but no longer charging.
JOLT Charge CEO Doug McNamee said these state-of-the art charging stations are a game-changer for electric vehicle users.
“By using JOLT’s free charging top-ups, EV drivers could save more than $1,000 per year on their charging expenses, making EV ownership even more attractive to people looking for convenient, sustainable, and cost-effective transport choices,” he said.
“We’re really encouraging Australians to embrace EV technology, particularly as cost-of living pressures continue to rise.”
Dozens more fast chargers will be rolled out over the next year at commuter car parks and other locations convenient to commuters.
The NSW Government has invested $250,000 into the JOLT charger partnership, in addition to $209 million worth of EV infrastructure funding delivered as part of the NSW Government EV strategy.
McKeown said she’s confident that the new charging station at the Jane Street car park will be very popular with drivers.
“We hope this conveniently located charger in Penrith, close to Penrith Railway Station, the TAFE campus, and Westfield Penrith will help to encourage others to make the transition to an electric vehicle,” she said.
“It is crucial that we do what we can to support the transition to electric vehicles and encourage public transport use where possible.”
To find out more about electric vehicles, including charging locations, visit: http://www.transport.nsw.gov.au/projects/electric-vehicles.
Makayla Muscat
Formerly with the ABC, Makayla is a graduate of Western Sydney University. She covers a variety of news topics for the Weekender, including courts.