Roadmap To Boost EV Charging In Adelaide

The electric vehicle charging roadmap aligns with the Adelaide Climate Action Plan 2022-2025

The City of Adelaide has endorsed a roadmap to accelerate the shift to electric vehicles (EV) in the city and North Adelaide. Last year, transport emissions accounted for more than a third of the community’s carbon footprint in the city while the council’s fleet cars accounted for around 8 % of our total corporate emissions.

Prepared by engineering and sustainability consultancy Arup, the roadmap provides immediate actions which can be delivered by council within three years and identifies priority charging locations across the City of Adelaide. Having already endorsed a Climate Action Plan 2022-2025, the council aims to accelerate the shift to electric vehicles by including the installation of 100 public electric vehicle and bicycle chargers by 2025; as well as setting a target of 75% of its light fleet vehicles to be EVs by 2025 and to be powered by council’s 100% renewable electricity.

The roadmap was informed by engagement across local governments, state government, industry, community representative groups as well as stakeholders. Included in the recommendations are three actions the council can begin implementing this financial year:

• Establishing a clear framework for the rollout of EV chargers at strategic locations
• Enabling the market-led provision of on-street EV chargers in select locations which minimise impacts on the public realm
• Working with private sector providers to trial on-street charging in residential areas
   

The popularity of electric-powered vehicles is growing rapidly. In 2022, EV cars made up 6.5% of all new car sales in South Australia, and in 2023 EV sales are already more than double of all of 2022.

Lord mayor Jane Lomax-Smith said the council had a responsibility to the community to help facilitate the transition from traditional vehicles to EVs. She said, “As a council, we want to support our community to transition to a low carbon economy through education, incentives and appropriate community infrastructure. If we can encourage 10,000 households to make the switch to EVs, it would reduce carbon emissions by approximately 22,000 tonnes annually, a reduction of 2.3% of the total community emissions. We aim to provide infrastructure which is functional but elegant without narrowing footpaths or creating unsightly clutter.”

The recommendations and locations of priority charging locations in the EV Transition Roadmap will inform budget proposals in the 2024/25 business plan and budget process.