Electric vehicle charging stations
Eastern Suburbs Public Electric Vehicle Charging Station Network
Woollahra Council has installed public electric vehicle charging stations in Paddington, Bellevue Hill, Double Bay, Rose Bay and Vaucluse as part of a jointly-funded 3-Council Regional Environment Program with Waverley and Randwick Councils.
Charging stations installed across the eastern suburbs as part of the program are the first of their kind in Sydney, and local government-backed charging infrastructure in NSW.
Where are the council charging stations located?
Prime locations:
- Bellevue Hill - 25 Birriga Road
- Bellevue Hill - Cooper Park Community Hall, Cooper Park Road
- Double Bay - Kiaora Place Shopping Centre
- Rose Bay - Corner of Norwich and Richmond Roads
- Paddington - 18-20 Goodhope Street
- Vaucluse - Corner of Old South Head and New South Head Roads
- Bondi Beach - Queen Elizabeth Drive
- Bondi Junction - Spring St outside Mill Hill Community Centre
- Coogee Beach - Brooke St next to Coogee Oval
- Randwick - Randwick Community Centre, Munda St
- Randwick - Silver St Car Park
- Randwick - Des Renford Aquatic Centre
Further sites will be added to the electric vehicle (EV) network as uptake of EVs grows.
Are there any other chargers available?
Yes, most public chargers available in our area are listed on PlugShare. This site includes chargers installed by Council and other providers.
Fast chargers
The first fast charger in our area is now available at Queen Street Carpark (Dorhauer Lane). This 75kW charger will support most EVs to get a full charge in under an hour. You will find more details about this charger here.
Can all EVs access the charging stations?
Yes. The charging stations allow for universal charging, meaning they will be accessible to all electric vehicle makes and models. EVs will need to adhere to normal parking restrictions that apply at each site.
Where are they located and how do I know if they are available?
You will be able to find station locations via the Chargefox app, which also tells drivers whether the plugs are “available” or “in use”.
Charging stations are also listed on PlugShare.
At each site, the location of the charging station will be clearly marked and signposted.
How fast will they charge?
The charging stations are dual port Level 2 AC with a power output of 22kW per port. This will provide a fast charging rate for most cars on the market. This technology usually charges up to 150km/hour but will take less than 15 minutes to cover off your average daily drive.
The charging stations are powered by 100% renewable energy.
How can I charge my vehicle at these stations?
You will need to bring your own Type 2 (Mennekes) cables (readily available online or from your car manufacturer/dealer), and follow instructions on the station and via the Chargefox App. Detailed instructions are available on the Chargefox website.
The fee for charging is 0.42c / kWh including GST (current July 2023). Payment is made via the Chargefox app.
Once you activate the charger via the app:
- Plug your cord into the machine.
- Press the green button.
- Please ensure the cord is carefully placed to avoid a trip hazard for pedestrians.
- When your vehicle is charged or you wish to leave the station, press the stop button, unplug your cord and continue on your journey.
- Have a safe journey.
Chargefox support number is 1300 518 038.
What Parking Rules Apply?
These parking spots are designated as ‘No Parking - Electric Vehicles Excepted Only While Charging’. Charging is demonstrated by the charging cable being connected from the vehicle to the charge station.
Should an EV not be charging, or another vehicle parked here, the driver could incur a fine (Disobey No Parking).
Electric vehicle drivers will need to adhere to any normal parking restrictions that apply at that location.
If you do encounter the wrong vehicle parked in this space, preventing EVs from parking and charging, you can report it to the Woollahra Council Customer Service Centre on 9391 7000.
Why are the Councils installing on-street EV public chargers?
We’re at the beginning of a motoring transformation in Australia and around the world. In the near future, electric vehicles will be a mainstream mode of transport. Local government can play a key role in enabling EV uptake.
This 3-Council project aims to make the Eastern Suburbs ‘EV-ready’ and support the transition to zero emissions vehicle transport, by addressing two main barriers to EV uptake: access to charging infrastructure and drivers’ range anxieties.
The transport sector contributes some 18% of Australia’s total greenhouse gas pollution and Australia is ranked second worst in an international scorecard for transport energy efficiency. EVs provide a viable move away from fossil fuels.
The project is a key part of the 3-Councils’ plans to reduce carbon emissions across the region and also offers innovative ‘smart city’ solutions to its residents and visitors.
Why now?
Current projections indicate EVs will account for 55% of new car sales by 2040 (BNEF 2018). There is also set to be a major shift in EV ownership from next year when more affordable models become available in Australia e.g. Tesla 3, Nissan LEAF, Hyundai Kona and others.
The number of available EV models in Australia is growing rapidly with over 55 models available in early 2023 and potential to exceed 135 models by 2040 (ClimateWorks, 2018).
Councils and other levels of government need to be in step with, if not ahead of, the market and industry to support and facilitate such changes.
We have a Woollahra Council Electric Vehicle Charging Infrastructure Policy(PDF, 820KB) to support the uptake of electric vehicles in our area.
What are the other benefits of enabling EV uptake with on-street charging stations?
- Brings more tourism dollars to local beach and shopping precincts
- Helps residents with cost of living pressures and inflated petrol prices
- Reduces pollution and noise on our roads
- There is a lot of thinking that most EV charging will happen at home and in workplace, but destination charging helps those who don’t have access to this.
- Providing confidence to drive an EV – overcomes “range anxiety”
Who’s involved?
Our station service provider JET Charge is one of Australia’s leading electric vehicle charging providers and has recently been nominated as the preferred installer for Tesla Motors, Porsche, Audi, Volvo, Renault, Hyundai, Nissan, Jaguar and Land Rover.
Are there future plans for a larger network of public charging stations in the Eastern Suburbs?
The 3-Councils will be monitoring use and user experience/feedback for this first roll out, with a view to consider potential expansion at current and new sites.
We are also looking at increasing EVs in our Council fleets, and ways to support apartment dwellers to access EV charging.
The Councils continue to support and facilitate use of other low emissions sustainable transport including walking, cycling, public transport and car-sharing.
Find out more about charging locally
Learn more about electric vehicles