Electric Vehicles: Accessories and Charging Options Available in Australia

 Electric Vehicles: Accessories and Charging Options Available in Australia

 

Electric vehicles (EVs) were once called the vehicle of the future. Just imagine sitting in the 1990s, where the world is still getting over the wars, healthcare for all is still a huge question, the internet is just introduced, and someone says there will be cars that will run on electricity; it would sound strange. But today, people are evolving from the internet to the metaverse and from fueled cars to electric cars. And with the increased availability of electric vehicle accessories, dedicated electric car charging stations, and at-home EV chargers, the future is now present. 

Even though the world was going through a pandemic, the sales of electric cars were on an upward trend. As such, the year 2022 recorded double the sales of electric vehicles compared to the year 2021 globally. And according to a report, their sales jumped from 3.0 million in 2021 to 6.6 million in 2022, while China, Europe, and the United States take away a significant share of these statistics. 

Meanwhile, in Australia, in the year 2021, 8688 electric vehicles were sold, reporting an upwards trend from the past years (in 2020, recorded sales were 6800, and in 2019 the sales were 6718), demonstrating the demand for these vehicles in the country.

Main Types of Electric Vehicles in Australia

There is this Battery Electric Vehicle (BEV) whose only power source is an electric battery. Also, a Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicle (PHEV) has an electric battery and a combustion engine, and its electric batteries are charged from a plug. The accessories also change depending on the type of vehicle owned. 

So, most of Australia’s electric vehicles are BEV, and currently, 31 models are available in Australia for sale. Of this, only 14 models are priced under $65,000, creating a massive space for budgeted EV models to enter Australia.

Charging Options

In order o charge an electric car, there are few accessories required according to the vehicle type. So, having an electric cable bag, electric charger plug holder, charger plug of different types, stand for a home design station, charging cable organiser, and much more is advised. 

So, charging comes with two main options; the first one is a home charging station where a domestically owned electric supply can charge the vehicle. And the second one is a public charging station/outlet. 

Currently, around 80% of EVs are charged at home. And an advantage of charging at home is that overnight charging can save time and money. Meanwhile, home Chargings are of two types, Trickle Charge (charging through a standard three-prong) and AC household charging with Wallbox (3-4 times faster than trickle charge through a 230V outlet)

Public Changing stations are majorly found in urban cities, and these stations have AC and DC charging options. DC fast chargers are the quickest way of charging an electric car.

Australia’s Public EV Charging Infrastructure

Australia has over 3000 public EV charging outlets installed in 1650 locations. The ultra-fast DC chargers amount to 470 public chargers at 250 locations. Besides, Australia has seen a 24% increase in the DC fast charger installation and a 23% increase in available standard chargers. Meanwhile, their accessories market is also growing with the rise in electric car ownership.

Government investment/grants for charging infrastructure, electricity/grid upgrades, fuel efficiency standards, tax exemptions, and much more have led to this hike in the EV segment of Australia. As such, the credit for this goes to the Australian Government. 

So, with all the perks and opportunities provided by the Australian Government for electric automobiles, it is crucial to have the correct knowledge of the vehicles owned with the best electric vehicle accessories to support the car. As such, a well-researched decision has to be made while purchasing an electric vehicle and installing a charging station for the same. 

Dom Charlie

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