At the time I commented that it looked like new charging stations. However, there were only cables extruding from the concrete. There was no signage that indicated the exact purpose of the construction. Recently they were confirmed to be new charging stations.
Ikea Logan charger during construction, Image by D.McCann
DFO Chargers
Mark Bailey MP recently opened the new Tritium Evie chargers at DFO shopping center.
The shopping center where they are located is close to a main thoroughfare called the Gateway Arterial Road. In close proximity to the Brisbane airport this will Ride share drivers to charge and stay available more often.
This introduction to the Queensland EV network is an encouraging sign. This is a positive step as opposed to southern state’s taxes. Mark Bailey MP when opening the chargers was asked about the tax. He highlighted that the timing was more of an issue than the tax its self.
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The introduction and promotion of the new charging stations is a sure sign that Queensland’s priorities are to grow the uptake of Electric vehicles not hinder them.
Tritium Charging platform
Tritium recently introduced their new platform for Charging stations recently. This introduction occurred in Brisbane Australia and outlined a new EV charger that has the capacity to flex its capacity of how many vehicles can be charged over the long term, thus increasing the viability of charging stations.
This introduction in Brisbane is again an encouraging sign that Queensland is looking to the future of transportation and is supporting a growing industry.
Queensland is looking to the future
I recently wrote about Springfield lakes and their vision for a future city. If Queensland Government was to introduce a tax, not only would it hinder the future city, it would also be counter intuitive to the owners of EVs, Tritium’s new platform and to the comments of Mark Bailey MP.
Queensland has been a big supporter of the Electric highway from Cairns down to the border and beyond. This highway over the coming years will hopefully grow to include a greater range.
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So is Western Australia
It is encouraging to see Western Australia announce a similar highway down the west coast of Australia today.
The future is about increasing the ability for the EV drivers to charge and to have the confidence to drive distance like they do with today’s ICE vehicles.
Last week the future was looking like taxes may delay the transition to electrification, this week I am encourages to see the future looking brighter by the day.
Australian EV Uptake – Taxes or incentives, the world is transitioning to renewable energy and electric transportation is a cornerstone of that transition.
Steps are being taken globally to assist populations to take the first step to start their transition to a sustainable future.
Across many countries, there are different approaches to assist people to be able to afford to transition to renewable energy generation like solar panels and battery storage.
Transitioning to an electric vehicle is a much harder proposition as most electric vehicles, especially in Australia, are out of reach for average consumers.
Oil Companies and governments
In combination with the high price of electric vehicles, Oil companies have for years been the power players in the world due to the demand for oil and petrol for internal combustion engine (I.C.E.) vehicles.
They have grown unfettered for decades growing wealth and not caring for the impact they impose upon the environment and the health of everyday people.
Governments and the global economy have ridden on the back of these industries. However they have one fatal flaw, they are non renewable resources. Their impact to the environment is disastrous.
So making a step towards new thinking using renewable energy and consumers buying electric vehicles is in complete opposition to the direction that most polluting energy suppliers would want.
A large amount of the governments of the world have made large strides to develop policies that help to drive the uptake of electric vehicles.
This incentive-based approach has assisted the transition to sustainable energy and thus helps to reduce the carbon footprint that is causing such devastation to our environment.
The environment is changing and has been for several years. In 2019 Australia had one of the worst bush fire seasons in history. It is concerning that we refer to bush fires as a season now. That should make us pause.
When did we start referring to it as a season?
It used to be known as Summer. Yet many Politicians deny that the bush fires were caused by any environmental issues.
Australian view
Australian’s have, for many years, prided themselves on being progressive when utilizing new technology that improves their lives.
Australia has always been a believer in supporting good science and allowing amazing scientific discovery to be at the heart of the Australian culture.
But it seems that this belief has been deteriorating for years when it comes to the all-important subject of climate change.
The great barrier reef one of the most amazing natural wonders has for decades been suffering the effects of the changes to the environment right before our eyes. Yet most politicians don’t agree that it is caused by climate change.
During COVID shutdowns in April of 2020, the world paused, and the environment had a chance to breathe and show what is possible. No pollution in the air, very little temperature change, seeing the beauty of the world without fog, or smog to mask it.
This is the future that we all want to see become reality.
Step forward
So how can we maintain our lifestyles whilst also helping the environment?
The introduction of Solar power, battery storage, and electric vehicles have been the next best step. The ability for average people to help make a difference to the environment around them whilst not compromising their current standard of living has always been the goal.
Taxes
So, what is South Australia thinking when they decide that a TAX on electric vehicles is the way to go.
When introducing taxes it is much harder for the average person to help. Buying an electric car in Australia is already an expensive proposition.
Last week, South Australia proposed, as part of their state government budget, a tax for Electric Vehicles. The amount of money that the taxes would provide is just over 1 million dollars.
This tax was mirrored in New South Wales and Victoria. An industry that could open up opportunities to new and fresh modes of transport that have a small environmental impact and do not continue to pollute once purchased seems strange to tax people willing to take that all-important first step.
Australian EV Uptake – Taxes or incentives. It is time for politicians to start listening to what the people who voted them in want, they need to pull their heads out of the sand, look at the science with fresh eyes and recognize that even with our relatively small population we have a part to play in the restoration of the environment globally.
Australia is so far behind when it comes to the uptake of electric vehicles and the transition to a sustainable future. This first step is essential for the success of reducing co2 being sent into the environment. Adding a Tax that reduces the enticement for consumers to buy electric vehicles before they have even taken off is madness.
We need to do more to make the direction we are taking a responsible, smart, and future-looking vision.
Smarter approach
Australia’s car industry has suffered for decades and now when things are starting to look positive towards creating a new car revolution, governments feel that instead of incentivizing the benefits and getting consumers into EVs sooner they wish to tax them for choosing the environmentally friendly option.
What would be smarter is to provide incentives that assist consumers to make a better choice. Australian Capital Territory (ACT), the home of the Federal Government has recently introduced incentives for the improved uptake of Electric vehicles.
The incentives include 2 years of free registration of the vehicle, increased distribution of charging infrastructure, and interest-free loans.
These incentives are part of a greater view that electrification is the next step in transportation.
Future City
Image courtesy of engie.com
I recently wrote about Springfield lakes and their plans to create a future city inclusive of electric vehicles, solar and battery storage. This vision is not as easy to execute if the governments of Australia don’t take a leading role in offering support and incentives to allow consumers to be part of the revolutionary change.
In many countries’ incentives have allowed the uptake of electric vehicles, solar and battery storage for those that would normally not be able to afford such a change.
Incentives are a much better way to increase uptake of electric vehicles, grow industries where none where before and have a positive effect on environmental issues.
Old Thinking
Australian EV Uptake – Taxes or incentives. The introduction of a Tax is backward, old thinking, and lacks inspiration and foresight. Surprisingly, South Australia is the state to introduce the tax. They are home to one of the largest battery storage facilities in the world. This technology provided by Tesla has proved itself to be a money-spinner from the start and a revolution for the power industry in the state. So, it is surprising that the government has not realized the benefits these technologies can have on everyday lives.
Old thinking that has worked for the last 50 years is slowly dying and the ground on which politicians believe they can build a future is thin as ice.
Electric Vehicle owners and future owners are not the enemy. Most people are happy to pay their rightful amount of Taxes however to isolate EV drivers seems counterintuitive to the need to address climate issues.
This is an amazing feat when you consider that they only started their network around 10 years ago. The supercharging network was a revolution when it was first conceived. It gave Tesla a foot up and a head starts to the evolution of the electric car. Without the Supercharging network, Tesla would not be the powerhouse it is today.
Range Anxiety
Range anxiety as it has been labeled over the years was a consideration that most would have taken for granted in an ICE car. The proliferation of the petrol station has long since passed and people expect it to be available everywhere without issue.
The supercharger network is attempting to address a similar issue. It has certainly achieved this in the USA. Where this becomes an issue for most Tesla owners outside the USA is in countries that don’t have a large footprint of Tesla uptake.
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Australia
Let’s take my homeland, Australia. I live in a large city that is sprawling and wide, Brisbane Australia. We are a First World country and have access to all the usual amenities that one would expect. We have had a slow uptake of electric vehicles and lag about 5 years behind if not more than the rest of the world when it comes to infrastructure and purchasing.
The main reason for the slow up take includes,
Poor government support for new technology
Little or no incentives
Poor infrastructure within urban areas.
No national emissions target.
Government proposing taxes on EV’s
Manufacturers
The supercharging network is dedicated to Tesla but Elon has mentioned in the past that he is open to the idea that other manufacturers can utilize the supercharging network. This may be a best-case scenario, however other companies like Tritium (Australian Owned) and Charge fox, RACQ, and others have attempted to fill the void.
Their infrastructure has been due to demand from the uptake of electric vehicles and understanding that the world is shifting to renewables and sustainability, this includes electric vehicles.
This last year Tesla increased its purchases across the globe and in Australia, the sales went up by a significant magnitude.
So why do we lag behind with the deployment of Superchargers. Obviously, Australia is a small fish and does not seem to be at the forefront of the mind of Tesla and Elon musk when it comes to supportive infrastructure.
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If you build it they will come
However, if you build it, they will come. If tesla was going to improve the uptake of vehicles, they need to continue to address the issues that they had in the early days of the USA. Increase the output and distribution of the supercharging network to urban areas. By allowing visibility of the Tesla brand people will start to look at the name and the vehicles and see value where none previously existed.
Superchargers are one part of the puzzle but a big part. In Brisbane, we have 1 supercharger station. This is located in the center of the city. Brisbane covers the same land size as Los Angeles
Image courtesy of Tesla.com
Currently, in Brisbane, there is one supercharger, In Los Angeles there at 10 – 15. The red icons are the superchargers.
Image coutesy of Tesla.com
I know tesla is growing at a rate unseen for over 100 years. I am sure the Supercharger network will grow with it but at the moment this is not the case jete in Australia.
Fill the void
On the upside, in any void, someone will fill it. Tritium is making great strides to be that void filling product. Their introduction of superchargers and soon to announce new products only help to address the need. Not only are they versatile as they allow for all-electric cars to charge but they are proactive in looking for new opportunities to make travel less stressful and more of a journey for electric car owners.
Pushing the boundaries of our design, this is the Tritium way.
Tesla is the gold standard, but tritium and others are making strides to meet them and surpass the expectations.
I look forward to the day that I can own a Tesla, but I also look forward to the day that more people can purchase electric vehicles at a price that grows uptake. If tesla increases the superchargers and other companies like tritium grow the only winner as well as the consumer.
Springfield Lakes the Future City here in Queensland is making steps towards leading towards a world of electrification. They are making renewable cities and moving towards a renewable future.
Tesla‘s mission to transition the world to sustainable energy and transport has inspired others to work towards a renewable future.
The Engie group took advantage of the same thinking in 2018 and worked with the Springfield developers, Ipswich city planners, and government to develop their vision.
It is truly incredible to think that such innovative thinking is happening in Australia and a stone from me. This innovation that Engie is proposing is at the heart of the future view of suburban sprawl into the future.
They believe based upon their website and their vision that electrification is essential to move us into the future. This is inclusive of vehicles, buildings, suburbs, and more.
Innovation can help to drive the research for future products and facilities that make it possible. They have invested in a research and development center to drive this thinking forward.
Recently Engie announced they were now moving towards additional car chargers and hydrogen buses and many more innovations that will improve the ability for residents to transition to a sustainable future.
Amazingly, such innovation exists in the void of government procrastination. Unfortunately, the Australian federal government has dragged its feet. Reliance on fossil fuels needs to be considered yesterday’s technology and it is time to look to the future and renewables.
If you are buying a Tesla Use a referral code, Andrew the optometrist referral link – https://ts.la/andrew53106
Inspiration comes in many forms and recently I was inspired by my friend Andrew the Optometrist. He chose to support a future yet to be realized. He was unaware of the electric vehicle market when we spoke last. So when he decided to buy the Tesla Model 3, I was truly impressed.
He had weighed up our discussion, done his own investigation, formed his own thoughts and opinion, and made a choice. If all people whereas measured in their approach, the world would be a better place.
He is looking forward to receiving his car and becoming part of the evolution. He is getting excited to own a car with greater capability and environmental impact than any vehicle he has owned before. I am truly excited for him and look forward to his delivery.
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Looking to the future
Andrew the optometrist is an example of what the people of Springfield have to look forward to in the future. The ability to have access to the infrastructure that allows for the uptake of electric vehicles and renewable energy is so important. If the future is to change to renewable energy and reduce the CO2 being pumped into the environment these steps are important.
It is encouraging to see the big companies start to take the lead where the government void exists.
I applaud what Engie and Ipswich are doing to bring Springfield lakes into the future and set the example for the rest of Australia and the world to follow.
