Ampol opened the first store out of 120 AmpCharge electric vehicle charging stations, which are expected to be operational across the country by December 2023.
The first location is at the Ampol Woolworths MetroGo in Alexandria, New South Wales.
It will be followed over the next month by four more pilot sites in Carseldine, Queensland; Belmont, Western Australia; Northmead, NSW; and Altona North, Victoria.
Although Ampol is best known for its fuel delivery, it wants to establish Australia’s leading electric vehicle charging network by 2030.
There was a slight delay in getting these test sites live. They are supposed to be online by the end of July, with all 120 sites will open before October 2023.
Each of the five test sites will be able to charge at least two EVs simultaneously and be able to charge an electric vehicle with up to 150kW of power.
They feature solar panels and solar battery storage, with Ampol testing their use with the aim of deploying the technology across the network.
Ampol also says the energy used by its AmpCharge chargers will be fully offset by the Large Scale Generation Certification.
In addition to using its national network of service stations, Ampol plans to roll out destination chargers in places like shopping malls and introduce “incentives for home charging infrastructure.”
“Electrification and electric vehicles will play an important role in reducing emissions in the Australian transport sector in the coming years and we have a key role to play in supporting this transition.” ,” said Ampol CEO Brent Merrick.
“Our vision for the Ampol EV network is to develop a best-in-class EV charging ecosystem that enables the deployment of our own charging assets and allows us to partner with others to form a charging network. Australia’s leading EV.
“Today’s milestone is part of the first phase of rolling out fast charging technology to sites across our national retail network.”
The deployment of Ampol is part of an agreement with the Australian Renewable Energy Authority (ARENA). announced in July last yearwith ARENA providing partial funding through the federal Fuel Futures Fund – billed last year as $7.05 million from a total investment of $26.81 million.
Ampol was announced last July as one of five successful grant applicants from the first round of EV charger funding, along with Evie Networks, Engie, Chargefox and Electric Highways Tasmania.
The five candidates are expected to deliver 403 new DC stations, each capable of simultaneously charging at least two vehicles for a charge of at least 50kW.
The charging stations will be built across eight geographies covering Australia’s 14 most populous cities. These include all capitals and regional centers including Geelong, Newcastle, Wollongong and the Sunshine Coast.
Ahead of this year’s election, the outgoing government also pledged extra $178 million for the Fuel Futures Fund, initially a $71.9 million cash advance announced in the 2020-21 federal budget.
The opposition (later) pledged to double this investment to $500 million to set up a Promote the national fundpart of which will see the government co-funding a national charging network with charging stations at “average distances of 150 km on main roads”.
Ampol isn’t the only fuel giant planning to build an EV charging network.
BP earlier this year signed an agreement with Australian charging company DC Tritium to set up a charging network of its own.
We’re moving into a time when the typical service station will have a couple of EV chargers, plus food and coffee inside to spend money while you wait.
