Queensland Electric Super Highway announced

Steven Miles, Queensland’s Environment Minister and Acting Main Roads Minister, this week announced that within six months the state was about to make a big bet on electric vehicles, with the launch of the Queensland Electric Super Highway.

“Today I’m announcing the first 18 towns and cities that make up phase one of the Electric Super Highway and will, once operational in the next six months, make it possible to drive an electric vehicle (EV) from the state’s southern border to the Far North.”

“They will be available for use at no cost for the initial phase of the super highway so we can encourage as many people as possible to start using them.”

A driver for the project was the results of a consumer survey.

“The most recent Queensland Household Energy Survey showed that 50% of Queenslanders will consider an electric vehicle, plug-in hybrid or regenerative braking hybrid, when purchasing a new car in the next two years and that majority said improvements to public fast-charging infrastructure would further tempt them into purchasing an EV,” said the Minister.

For a while at least, electric vehicle owners will charge their car at the stations for free.

“They will be available for use at no cost for the initial phase of the super highway so we can encourage as many people as possible to start using them.”

The first phase of 18 fast-charging electric vehicle stations will be located at:

• Cairns
• Tully
• Townsville
• Bowen
• Mackay
• Carmila
• Marlborough
• Rockhampton
• Miriam Vale
• Childers
• Maryborough
• Cooroy
• Brisbane
• Helensvale
• Coolangatta
• Springfield
• Gatton
• Toowoomba