Eight Tesla charging stations will be installed at the Goulburn Visitor Information Centre under a formal lease agreement between the council and Tesla Motors Australia Pty Ltd.

While the contract is yet to be finalised, general manager Warwick Bennett said the supercharger stations would be installed by May, making Goulburn the first regional city in Australia with access to the technology.

“This report recommends that Council approve the allocation of eight car parks for Tesla supercharger stations at the Visitor Information Centre car park… we believe that the current car park at the VIC centre is the most appropriate place,” a report submitted by Mr Bennett to last night’s Council meeting read.

The stations could charge some 200km of range in just 20 minutes and 500km in an hour. It is understood Tesla has negotiated with Essential Energy for the use of power in the area.

The allocated car spaces would remain available for general parking on a “quick turnover” time restriction of 30 minutes. Council will receive market rental rates income from Tesla Motors after a fourmonth free deal expires.

Mr Bennett said the income would not be “substantial”, but that’s not the point.

“We are going to become a sustainable car-refuelling City,” he said.

But, while the service is free for Tesla drivers it is not compatible with other electric cars in the market.

Local IT expert and organiser of the Goulburn Connects Electric Vehicle Expo Alex Ferrara told the Post that while he didn’t want to “rain on this parade”, Council needed to explore technology that would be accessible for other electric car users.

“The only thing I’m a bit concerned about is with these Tesla supercharging stations they work fantastically for the vehicles that have that equipment fitted but all other electric vehicles won’t be able to use this infrastructure,” Mr Ferarra said.

Tesla Motors was founded in 2003 in California and now has cars on the road in some 37 countries.

The company’s second luxury car release, the Model S, was a feature of the Goulburn Connects Festival last October.

Mr Ferarra said while Tesla vehicles have in the past been strictly limited to the luxury market, development of a mid-range sedan was in the works.

“What they are trying to do is push the price of building electric cars down to the point where in 2017 they should have announced a car being available called the Tesla Model 3 with a price tag similar to a mid-range sedan. Their plan is to become mainstream, which is a challenge,” he said.

“We are at the start of a really long journey, and (these stations are) a really positive thing because it means Goulburn is front and centre.”

Mr Bennett confirmed Council was in discussions with other sustainable car manufacturers, including Hyundai, to secure further charging stations for electric and hydrogen powered cars.