Public EV charging
Click through to find out more on:
- alternating current public charging stations
- fast charging stations
- the equipment you'll need to use a public charging station
- the location of public charging stations.
Public charging stations
Just like there are service stations for petrol cars, there is an emerging network of public EV charging stations for electric car owners.
While EV charging at home is convenient, we know almost 30% of NSW residents who rent or live in apartments may need to rely on public EV charging.
Depending on where they are located, there are a range of public charging facilities available to suit your needs.
Alternating current (AC) public charging stations
These public charging stations use AC electricity and can fully charge (0 to 100%) an EV in 6 to 10 hours. They are commonly located in shopping centres, car parks and increasingly on power poles along kerbsides.
Direct current (DC) public charging stations
Often known as fast charging stations, these can charge an average EV from 10% to 80% in between 20 to 40 minutes, providing up to 300km of range.
They are commonly located along highway routes, service stations and increasingly shopping centres and fast-food outlets. Leading fast charging networks include: Tesla, Evie Networks, Jolt and NRMA.
What equipment is required to charge in public?
Public chargers can be either socketed and tethered:
- socketed (untethered) chargers don't come with a cable, so you need to bring your own. The cable you’ll likely need is a type 2 to type 2 cable. Typically AC public charging stations are untethered, the most common being pole-mounted charging stations.
- tethered chargers have a cable attached. All you need to do is plug the cable into your EV’s charge port.
Public charging locations
Australia’s public EV charging infrastructure is growing rapidly. With destination chargers in shopping centres and DC rapid chargers on highways, there are more options than ever for charging on the go.
PlugShare is a globally recognised free app to find local public EV charging stations on a map, review, and check-in to locations. In addition to locations, it also includes information on which public chargers are socketed or tethered.
