EV = Electric Vehicle

An EV charger is the hardware that delivers energy from an electricity source to charge an EV battery.

The charger in the car converts power entering the car from AC to DC.

Faster EV chargers that use DC power do not require an internal charger as the power is directly fed into the battery without requiring conversion.

Council will ensure that universal chargers are installed to allow all EV cars including Tesla to charge.

The Guidelines also require the charging cable to have the capacity to reach all points of the parking space to cater for EV’s that have varying charging point locations.

The time it takes to charge your car will depend on the charging levels of the EV charger. There are 3 main types of chargers:

• Level 1: These are single-phase AC chargers typically used in homes and use standard Australian power outlets. The charging rate is around 10 to 20km per hour plugged in.

• Level 2: These are the most common AC chargers used in home and public charging. They allow for a wide range of charging speeds. A 7KW single phase has a charging rate of 40km per hour while a 22KW 3-phase has a charging rate of 120km hour.

• Level 3: These are super-fast DC chargers. The power levels can range from 25kW to 350kW. They are typically used in commercial premises and roadside locations to provide for faster re-charging. They require a substantial amount of power to run. It can fully recharge some electric vehicles in 10 to 15 minutes.

For more information on this, please visit Electric Vehicle Council website.

Note that the Guidelines have preference for EV charging infrastructures that have a minimum input power capacity of 25kW, however this will depend on the provider and available electricity supply.

For EV chargers provided by individual providers, it will depend on each provider as they will determine the charging rates.

For EV chargers provided by Council, charging will be free at this stage. Should this change in the future, Council will ensure that the charging rates are in line with the market rate at the time.

For EV chargers installed by individual providers, each provider will cover the cost of installation, maintenance, and removal, with no cost to Council

For EV chargers installed by Council, Council actively seeks grant funding for energy saving infrastructure and has secured federal funding under the Local Roads and Community Infrastructure program to install three (3) EV chargers in the Parramatta Station car park (Wentworth Street). These EV chargers are now operational and available for public use.

Furthermore, as part of Council’s Environmental Sustainability Strategy 2017, Council is funding and installing one (1) EV charger at Council’s Rydalmere Operations Centre for visitors, contractors, and fleet charging. Construction for this EV charger will commence once COVID restrictions allow.

The EV chargers will be accessible to individuals with disabilities as the Guidelines require providers to install EV charging infrastructure compliant with the Disability Discrimination Act 1992 which includes compliance with current standards for access (AS2890.5/ AS2890.6).

For EV chargers provided by individual providers, each provider will be required to undertake their own assessment to find the most appropriate locations to install EV chargers. These locations must meet the criteria outlined within these Guidelines.

For EV chargers provided by Council, there are three (3) EV chargers provided and operational in the Parramatta Station car park (Wentworth Street).

Furthermore, there will be one (1) EV charger installed at Council’s Rydalmere Operations Centre once COVID restrictions allow.

Council is also an active member of the Western Sydney Energy Program, working with eight other Western Sydney local governments to deliver a coordinated energy saving program for Western Sydney, including increasing Electric Vehicle ownership and infrastructure. Managed by the Western Sydney Regional Organisation of Councils (WSROC), these nine Councils collaboratively seek grant and investment funding for EV infrastructure. Already through this program, funding has been secured for 5 EV chargers to be installed in Western Sydney.

Locations for these EV chargers are still under review and investigation. To keep up to date on this progress, please visit the WSROC website.

For more information, please visit the Electric Vehicle Council website.