Truth behind electric vehicle charging picture mocked by Aussie drivers

As the hype over electric vehicles (EV) reaches new heights in Australia, so too does the list of problems insufficient EV infrastructure poses for current drivers, with those in the know insisting we need to "urgently" catch up with demand.

Despite government plans to grow the country's EV network drastically by 2030, with over 87,200 electric vehicles sold in the 12 months to January, a lack of charging sites remains one of the biggest frustrations among EV owners today. But Aussies have pointed out another glaring issue with existing charging bays across the country.

Carola Jonas, CEO and Founder of Everty — a software platform for EV charging stations — said it's something charging station owners and operators must "pay close attention to" when speaking with Yahoo News Australia on Friday. This is evident in a photo shared online this week.

Tesla driver's frustrating issue at charging bay

The image appears to show a Tesla driver's mishap at a charging bay at an undisclosed location. The car is parked well beyond the bay's perimeters having mounted the kerb in front.

At first glance, critics were quick to question why the driver didn't reverse into the bay making it easier for the charging cable to reach the outlet, with the apparent blunder being branded "stupid" and "idiotic".

"I’m aware they don’t have a spare tyre, I wasn’t aware that they don’t have reverse," mocked one on Facebook sharing the image on Thursday. "Obviously don’t have a brake either," replied another suggesting the Tesla had rolled forward by accident.

But all is not as it appears as the image exposes another crucial issue EV drivers face. What wasn't shown in the cropped image was the trailer being towed by the car, an eagle-eyed Aussie pointed out, sharing the original version from EV Stealth — an Australian-owned business that specialises in tow bars and other accessories for Electric Vehicles.

According to RAVC, most charging stations aren’t designed to cater to cars with caravans so, with the current infrastructure, drivers often have to unhitch the trailer to effectively charge their vehicle — or risk blocking other vehicles.

Possible solution to common EV problem

As charging station owners and operators work to improve Australia's growing charging network, Jonas said: "I think we need to look at this holistically". Not only do we have a lot of catching up to do in terms of having ample charging stations both roadside and in buildings, but she said we need to find "a balance" in the type of bays available.

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"If you look at the charging stations in Wilson or Secure car parks in the city CBDs the parking bays there are limited, but you also wouldn't use these ones with a trailer," she said. "But then when you look at highway charging or charging in more public open locations, it would definitely be good if the charging networks start implementing a mix [of suitable bays]".

Jonas noted that petrol companies are now jumping on board by rolling out EV charging stations at sites across Australia. Ampol for example currently operates 86 AmpCharge EV charging bays across 38 sites and has plans to install over 300 at more than 100 Australian sites by the end of 2024, the company confirmed to Yahoo.

Jonas said some charging networks are currently installed in the "trucking area" at some petrol stations so "trucks and longer EV vehicles can still use them" with ease. This includes regular vehicles towing a caravan or trailer.

"So even if you come there with a normal passenger car, you can just drive into the trucking parking area and use the charger. The other way around, it wouldn't have been possible. So there are solutions, but it's really for the infrastructure providers to make sure they're for the right mix."

Government tries to keep up with boom in EVs

With currently only 3,000 public charging stations nationwide, equating to 7,000 individual plugs, the government is "working quickly to ramp up EV charging" as it incentivises carmakers to import cleaner cars.

"We’re working quickly to ramp up EV charging across Australia to ensure easier, cheaper holiday weekend driving," Climate Change and Energy Minister Chris Bowen previously said.

Jonas said while "the government is already doing a fair bit" to help meet Aussie demand, financing and speed remain "critical areas of concern".

EV owner and host of Two Blokes Talking Electric Cars, Trevor Long, agreed he'd like to see independent charging companies like Evie growing quicker than they are, previously telling Yahoo the huge investment needed was a significant roadblock.

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