EV owner blasts 'stupid' charging bay move as surprising sign suddenly appears
A set of electric vehicle charging bays in Brisbane have been decommissioned to make way for a new children's theme park - and drivers aren't happy.
Australian electric vehicle owners have long been calling for more charger bays to be installed to cater to the soaring demand for EVs, with queues frequently seen forming among motorists desperately awaiting a spot.
Aussies have been snapped up in a whole range of sticky situations trying to get their cars to charge, including parking over public pathways and sharing bays with other drivers.
With demand showing no signs of slowing down, one Queensland-based EV owner found it unfathomable to see a set of charging stations in inner-city Brisbane had been decommissioned and is due to be replaced by a children's theme park.
Decision to replace EV chargers with new theme park 'stupid', man says
According to the developers, Northshore Brisbane, the temporary Queensland Electric Super Highway charging site at 281 MacArthur Avenue was decommissioned on May 25 to "facilitate the new Bluey’s World attraction and development".
Bluey's World, a theme park dedicated to the enormously popular children's cartoon, is due to open its doors in August. Branding the move "so stupid", the EV owner said he believed the situation reflected the fact that people in charge "have no idea what they're doing" and "are just throwing money around at this charging issue."
Tesla's questionable footpath move exposes growing problem as illegal parking 'surges'
Electric vehicle owner slammed for 'entitled' shopping centre move
Angry note on Tesla highlights 'entitled' electric vehicle problem
"Can anyone imagine a government department getting something so wrong in such a short time?" he wrote online. "These superchargers were installed two years ago. One can only imagine at what cost, and always used by locals."
His views were shared by some who responded to his post. "In many cases the locations of chargers are based on what was available at the time. You’ll probably find that the development application for the site was well underway when the charger was installed," one person wrote.
Have your say
"Real estate is a ruthless market, and for EV chargers this is compounded by the availability of electrical infrastructure. It shows the amount of or lack of diligence done in the first place. In identifying the best product. The best location," another said.
Others pointed to the fact the site was not built with the view it would be there long-term. "The sign says that this was a temporary site, I don’t see the issue," a man wrote.
Replacement charging site currently unknown
According to Northshore Brisbane: "The Queensland Government is supporting Yurika [a division of Energy Queensland, the largest, wholly government-owned electricity company in the country] in locating and maintaining a new charging site within the precinct".
Yahoo News Australia has contacted Queensland's Department of Transport and Main Roads (TMR) for an update on the relocation of the charger bays. A spokesperson demonstrated a willingness to look into the matter.
Meanwhile, the latest data from the Electric Vehicle Council (EVC) released earlier this year busted the "myth" that EVs are only popular among wealthy inner-city residents, with the research revealing the biggest increase in orders for electric vehicles last year in Australia actually came from outer-suburban areas.
Elon Musk's Tesla and Chinese-owned Build Your Dream (BYD) account for three-quarters of all EV sales in the country, with the latter even overtaking Tesla in January as the nation's best-selling electric vehicle for that month.
Queensland TMR weighs in
A spokesperson for TMR said they were working on finding a new location for the chargers.
"The Queensland Government is investigating suitable alternative sites in the Hamilton area and will inform motorists as soon as the new site is confirmed," they told Yahoo News Australia.
"The purpose of the MacArthur Avenue station was to act as a catalyst for private investment in similar charging infrastructure across Queensland. There are many public charging sites available in Brisbane and more are continuing to come online across Queensland including at shopping centres, car parks and tourist locations."
Do you have a story tip? Email: newsroomau@yahoonews.com.
You can also follow us on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Twitter and YouTube.
