Western Australia is set to develop the nation’s longest electric highway, in what is best described as a huge win for Aussie EV drivers looking to (eventually) travel.
The huge project will see 90 fast charging stations at 45 different spots across the massive state, stretching from Esperance to Kununurra and as far east as Kalgoorlie, in an attempt to make the great state more accessible to electric vehicles.
According to the Western Australian Government, the average distance between charging stations is approximately 160km, which is extremely good considering most new EVs can drive for more than 400km on a single charge (for reference, the standard range Tesla Model 3 boasts a 448km range).
You can view all of the stops along the new electric highway below.
The WA government asserts that vehicles can be charged within 15 minutes of being plugged into the fast chargers.
However, the locations are strategically planned to encourage tourism in regional towns across the state that might otherwise be missed. Basically, if you’re stopping to charge your EV, why not grab a coffee from the local cafe or buy a souvenir from a small business in town?
“This infrastructure is a key to boosting electric vehicle uptake in the state and helps continue the transition to net zero carbon emissions by 2050,” Environment and Climate Action Minister Amber-Jade Sanderson said on Tuesday.
“The charging time will provide EV owners the perfect opportunity to stop in at a local business for lunch or a coffee in a welcome boost for our regional towns.”
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As it currently stands, WA has no plans to introduce an EV tax like we’ve seen in Victoria, but also hasn’t shown any signs of announcing incentives or rebates to encourage uptake.
The highway is expected to be fully functional by early 2024, which is probably how long it’ll take us until interstate travel is an option again anyway.