Mark Collins has noticed an interesting trend happening around the Goulburn region.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
As more Sydney and Canberra people move to the area, they're opting not just for solar panels on their houses but are buying electric vehicles.
"They're moving to the country for its lifestyle and making that change," Mr Collins said.
READ MORE:
The Goulburn Group (TGG) member and his subcommittee are on a mission to encourage more businesses to install electric vehicle charging stations. They have written to Bunnings, owned by Wesfarmers, Mitre 10, Coles, Woolworths, Goulburn Health Hub and others requesting them to include the stations. All either have solar panels or are installing them. Just as in a home, if it is large enough, the solar power can be harnessed for the EV charging stations.
"TGG is really trying to get businesses in town to put solar on their roofs, provide a service through the EV stations and attract business for themselves and others," he said.
"We're trying to get ahead of the times."
TGG initiated installation of eight Tesla super-charging bays at the Visitors Information Centre in 2015. An additional charger has since been placed on the centre's southern aspect.
Less well known are four EV rapid charging stations at Budget Petrol, Goulburn, better known as the 'Gateway service station' on Sydney Road.
Manager Stefan Petalotis said a company, Chargefox, approached the service station 18 months ago to install four EV chargers.
"They wanted them in Goulburn so EVs could run between Sydney and Adelaide and Goulburn, being 200km from Sydney, was best located for people to charge. We are also open 24/7," he said.
Mr Petalotis said the company paid for the stations and the business reaped some business from vehicle owners, as did McDonald's opposite.
The service station hopes to re-open its restaurant to capitalise on the trade.
"The number of EVs coming through here has increased. Over the last 12 months, I'd say it has tripled," Mr Petatolis said.
The PlugShare app shows that public EV charging bays are also located at Marulan Truckstop, Goulburn's Best Western Motel, Wakefield Park, Collector's Some Cafe and that town's public school, Bailey's Garage at Gunning, Lake George Winery and the Wheatley VC rest area on the Federal Highway.
"What a perfect way to attract people travelling through the area," Mr Collins said.
"...We are trying to show business that even if they have a slow-charging station it gives vehicles the opportunity to increase their range by 45km, enabling, for example, Taralga people shopping in Goulburn to get back home."
The group says that "now is the time for businesses to be technologically aggressive, address the rapidly changing climate situation and contribute to what it believes is "the urgent task to reduce our carbon emissions by 2030."
Canberra couple Douglas and Elaine Maclaine-Cross bought their Tesla Model 3 SR + with environmental benefits in mind.
They charged the vehicle at Goulburn's Visitors Centre on Wednesday morning on their return from a family holiday. The 50-minute exercise gave a 400km range. Earlier, they had charged the car from Mr Maclaine-Cross's mother's rooftop solar at her Menai home.
"Buying the Tesla was a leap of faith. It was a tough decision because of the price but it was made easier by the trade-in on our old (petrol) car and the low-interest loan (2.99 per cent) for the EV," Mr Maclaine-Cross said.
He expected prices to drop as more EVs arrived from China in coming years.
The couple, who previously only dropped in to south Goulburn service centre, said they had more reason to visit the CBD, given the charging stations. They planned to have lunch while in town.
Do you have something to say about this issue? Send a letter to the editor. Click here for the Goulburn Post