Allambie Heights has gained vital new public charging infrastructure through an Australian-first trial that transforms streetside power poles into EV charging stations, to address the booming uptake of electric vehicles in the Northern Beaches.
Over 3,100 EVs now registered in the region and more than 1,300 in the past year alone.
The Northern Beaches Council has joined seven other local government areas in a year-long trial called the Intellihub EV Streetside Charging Project, which has seen seven streetside power poles converted into charging points across public sites between Newport and Manly.
One of these charging stations is located on Allambie Road in Allambie Heights.
| Location | Address |
| Manly | Ashburner St, Manly |
| West Promenade, Manly | |
| Collaroy | Anzac Ave, Collaroy |
| Frenchs Forest | Blackbutts Rd (opposite Malbara Cres.) |
| Terrey Hills | Yulong Ave, Terrey Hills |
| Allambie Heights | Allambie Rd, Allambie Heights |
| Newport | Dearin Reserve (opp. 13 Kalinya St) |
Northern Beaches Mayor Sue Heins highlighted the area’s rapid growth in EV ownership, necessitating an expansion of local charging facilities.
“The Northern Beaches is one of the fastest growing areas for EV ownership, and we are working with industry partners to make sure there are enough local charging stations to keep pace with demand,” she said, expressing hope that the new chargers would encourage more residents to switch from petrol and diesel vehicles to electric.
Cr Heins further stated that the council aims for a 30 percent reduction in vehicle emissions by 2038, with the transition to electric vehicles playing a crucial role in achieving this target.
The EV chargers are connected to the overhead electricity supply, and the energy use is matched with 100 percent accredited GreenPower, ensuring that for all the energy required to charge electric vehicles, an equivalent amount of certified renewable energy is put back into the grid.
EV drivers can locate and access the charging sites through the Exploren App, which displays the new chargers on public EV charging maps.
“A typical EV can get more than 200km of driving from a two-hour charge at any of these sites,” Intellihub CEO Wes Ballantine said.
If the trial proves successful, more streetside power poles could be rolled out across the country as charging stations for electric vehicles.
Published 23-May-2024