Tritium launches Fast Cities Network charging initiative; Australia’s largest fast charging network for EVs
11 November 2014
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| The Fast Cities Network. Click to enlarge. |
Brisbane, Australia-based Tritium, developer of the Veefil Electric Vehicle (EV) Fast Charger, has launched a Fast Cities Network initiative to establish Australia’s largest fast-charging network in Australia and the first in Eastern Australia. Located within the SE Queensland region, the proposed 430 km (267-mile) network will create an electric super highway, showcasing intra-city and intercity travel for EVs in Brisbane and the Gold Coast area.
The Fast Cities Network will connect Brisbane to Noosa, Toowoomba and Byron Bay, making charging quick, easy and convenient for drivers of pure electric and hybrid vehicles. Twelve Veefil fast charge points will be strategically located along major transport corridors, meeting around 95% of the travel needs of people living in South East Queensland.
In addition to four fast-charging units in Brisbane (at Fortitude Valley, Coorparoo and St Lucia) eight further fast chargers will link popular destinations in the region (Noosa, Sunshine Coast, Caboolture/Burpengary, Ipswich, Toowoomba, Cararra/Southport, Coolangata/Tweed, Byron).
Australia, ahead of the world in so many areas, is lagging behind as a nation in the uptake of electric vehicles, which have been shown to make an enormous contribution to creating cleaner, healthier cities. explains . We are launching this initiative as a global demonstration of how to operate and run a fast-charging EV network beyond just one population centre. EVs are coming and it’s something councils around the world need to deal with. We want them to be looking to Queensland to see how a great intercity charging network can be operated. Our aim is to challenge the way e-mobility is implemented.
In countries where there is significant growth in EVs, the availability of a fast-charging infrastructure has been critical, giving drivers the confidence and convenience to embrace greener transport options. Veefil® fast chargers, which will be sited along the Fast Cities Network, will be able to add 50km of driving distance in just 10 minutes, enabling EV drivers to easily travel the region and address perceptions of ‘range anxiety’. The network will make EV ownership an extremely attractive choice in the region.
—Paul Sernia, Tritium’s Commercial Director
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| Front and side view of Veefil. Click to enlarge. | |
Sernia estimates the cost of implementing the Fast Cities Network will be around Aus$450,000, and is inviting businesses and organizations to get behind the initiative.
Launched in Australia in May 2013, the 50 kW Veefil is the only EV fast charger to be designed and manufactured in Australia. With maximum output current of 120 Amps, Veefil offers CHAdeMO and SAE Type 1/CCS Type 2 connectors. It can add 50 kilometers (31 miles) of range to an EV battery charge in just 10 minutes.
Veefil features polycarbonate and aluminium construction and is liquid-cooled, and functions in temperatures ranging from -35 °C to +55 °C (-31 ˚F to 131 ˚F). This makes it more robust than other chargers over a wide range of environmental conditions, including temperature, humidity and corrosive conditions, increasing reliability and reducing maintenance.
Another 50KW dead end initiative. Only TESLA have a coherent vision in that EV space. Others are just wasting money, bet that includes tons of public money of course...
Only Tesla take this by the right side. they target the long term nirvana battery that will provide 500M = 800KM per charge and is expected to require a # 160KWH capacity. They typically 80% charge their battery, and guess what 80% of 160KWH is 135KWH.... And they roll 135KW SuperChargers across the world, that will 80% charge the 500M battery in <1H, and they set these SuperChargers with a proprieritary plug that can hold this power, and make these fast recharges free for life for all Tesla Model S owners...
This is a "vision" to compare to the WASTED ChaMeDo approach.
No doubt who will win here.
Posted by: Patrick Free | 12 November 2014 at 04:37 AM
A wasted approach? Europe has around 1500 Chademo chargers, in fact the teslas around where I live part time in brittany, france use the DBT Chademo multi chargers. The solution is multi chargers, that cover all standards.
Tritium's approach is spot on and all credit to an Ozzie company for doing this. I have a Nissan Leaf in Maroochydore and one in Brittany France. I can't afford a Tesla.
In France within 25km of my rural village in the centre are no less than 5 rapid chargers. These are multi units that will charge virtually all EVs including tesla.
If you are driving a diesel cruiser, you don't go just to a servo that has diesel only, or a petrol servo for your commodore etc. they learnt a long time back that all should be included in one point. So it is with the Tritium charger, the DBT combo charger in Europe etc. Tesla have no got Chademo approval for thier solution, why? Because it makes sense that a multi fit solution is cheaper and allows more infrastructure.
Great intititive Paul and the team at Tritium, I look forward to being able to do weekend Byron trips without using the ICE truck...
Posted by: Stewart Merefield | 26 November 2014 at 11:15 AM
Great to see it has both standards on each charger. While Chademo might eventually go the way of Betamax, for now both are needed .
I hope these can be easily upgraded to higher charge rates, 50kW is a bit light on these days.
The network is only suitable for the cafe latte set located around Brisbane, needs to go all the way to Cape York and out into the interior.
Posted by: Bobcom52 | 31 January 2018 at 12:25 AM