Summer is a great time to tour Tasmania by road - and it is popular for locals and interstate visitors alike. Doing it in an EV is even better - and fortunately, the fast charging network has just had a significant boost. A number of new and expanded locations has brought the number of four stall sites in Tasmania from zero to six in the space of two months!
Two of Electric Highway Tasmania's early sites, Burnie and Devonport, were opened in late 2020, each with a single 50 kW Tritium unit. The Burnie site now has a Kempower system added alongside, with two CCS2 connectors capable of 80 kW each. The Devonport site has had its Tritium unit removed and replaced with a Kempower system with four connectors, each up to 80 kW. The Devonport unit will be used elsewhere, either as a spare for any of the other units still in service, or be relocated to support a future site expansion.
Above: Electric Highway Tasmania's expanded site at Burnie (Photo: EHT)
One of EHT's newest sites, at the Wrest Point Casino in Sandy Bay, has also seen a boost, with its Kempower system growing from 2 to 4 stalls. The site has not had a power capacity increase, but this is coming in early 2025.
There also been some new sites come into service.
Cradle Mountain, one of the state's major tourist hotspots, has been fortunate in that many of the accommodation providers have had AC charging stations for some time. For example, when the Australian Electric Vehicle Association organised a group drive after the national conference in Devonport in 2017, the Cradle Mountain Wilderness Village installed 15 amp sockets outside every cabin that was booked by the group. There was also an AC charger installed by the new visitor centre which was opened in 2020 - but only one, so a bit of a risk to rely on it if it's taken by a driver who has just started on a walk around Dove Lake!
However, EHT's newest fast charging site has alleviated all concerns about availability, with the opening of a brand new Kempower system with four stalls, offering speeds up to 80 kW. This is located in the car park of the Cradle Mountain Hotel - of course, it is available to all drivers, not just hotel guests.
Above: Electric Highway Tasmania's new site at Cradle Mountain (Photo: EHT)
Australia's largest charging network operator Evie Networks has also opened another site in Tasmania, with a new four stall site in Sorell. This site has two Tritium RTM75 units with a total of four connectors. Sorell is just outside Hobart, on the route to both the east coast and Tasman Peninsula, which will lead to this being a popular charging stop. This site also supports AutoCharge, a plug-and-play system that was introduced by Evie at many of their sites earlier this year.
Tasmania also welcomes two new players into the charging arena.
BP launched their first BP Pulse site in Tasmania in November, located in Moonah, in Hobart's northern suburbs. This site has two Tritium 150 kW units, with a total of four connectors - making it the first site capable of speeds higher than 80 kW in the greater Hobart area. Drivers of Nissan Leafs should be aware that this is the first major public charging station in the state to be CCS2 only - there is no Chademo connector.
NRMA has also opened their first Tasmanian site, just a week before Christmas. Appropriately, it is located on Christmas Hills Rd in Elizabeth Town - at the Van Diemens Land Creamery, and just across from the Raspberry Farm Cafe. It is directly off the Bass Highway, between Devonport and Launceston, and easy to access from either direction. It features two ABB Terra 184 units with two connectors each. Each unite is capable of 180 kW.
Above: NRMA's new site at Elizabeth Town (Photo: John Fast)
Both the BP and the NRMA sites held the mantle of the biggest charging site in the state by capacity at the time they were opened!
There have also been a few smaller sites that have opened in regional towns. The first charging site on the West Tamar region has opened, with a 60 kW site at Exeter. Similarly a 25 kW site has opened at Tullah, on the west coast. While small, these sites are designed to ensure charging facilities are spread geographically across smaller towns.
These new and expanded sites are great for travellers, but there is still one area to be wary about - the Midland Highway!
The state's busiest highway has rather limited fast charging capacity, with a two stall 350 kW Evie Networks site at Campbell Town, and a two stall 80 kW EHT site at Oatlands being the primary options.
Above: Evie's popular site at Campbell Town (Photo: Charles Gregory)
Unfortunately, the Campbell Town site - which is the location that is traditionally most often preferred by drivers due to its geographic location, ultra-rapid charge speeds, placement directly on the highway, and wide-ranging amenities - can experience frequent congestion on busy days, such as around the Christmas/summer holiday period.
There are plans for more capacity in this area - Ampol received council approval in late 2023 for a fast charger at their Campbell Town site; and NRMA intends to build a 4 stall site at Ross, similar in capacity to their Elizabeth Town site. However there has been no activity spotted in either of these sites, so it is unlikely that either will be in service this summer.
We can also hope that Evie will do in Campbell Town, what they have done at some of their similar ultra-rapid locations interstate - which is to either supplement the ultra-rapid chargers with additional 75 kW units, or to replace them completely with 150 kW units. The 150 kW are not only more reliable, but they support Autocharge - and Evie could install additional units without needing to upgrade the supply.
However, until then - all is not lost! A useful tip is to instead top up at either end of your trip - at a less busy fast charger, or overnight at a slow charger - if it fits your travel schedule. Alternatively, consider the Oatlands site as an alternative - particularly if your vehicle is not capable of 100+ kW fast charging.
If you are visiting Tasmania with your EV, please join us on the AEVA Tasmania group on Facebook and share your experiences!
Note: Exact configurations of sites vary. Please check on Plugshare or with the individual network's mobile app for specifics - including maximum speeds while sharing, mix of CCS2 and Chademo connectors, and exact number of reserved parking bays.
Below: A map annotated with the major new and expanded fast charging sites