The ideal site in Goulburn would be near the current site of the Big Merino - just off the highway with both full northbound and southbound access, reasonable choice of food and facilities nearby too.
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Evie EV charging networks
- Thread starter baillies
- Start date
The ideal site in Goulburn would be near the current site of the Big Merino - just off the highway with both full northbound and southbound access, reasonable choice of food and facilities nearby too.
It has absurdly heavy wind that cuts to the bone. And whenever it isn’t windy, you get smells from the abattoirs and/or the compost plant. You kinda can’t win there.
I used to live a few streets away from there, up near the prior site of the Big Merino. And don’t get me wrong. I’d switch to charging there in a heartbeat if one was installed. It’s right near the new $2 spray-n-pray I use every Friday to get rid of the Federal Highway’s many bugs, and I prefer to use highway speeds to dry off the car afterwards before the spots settle. And to say I’m impressed with Seven Hills is an understatement.
But I think Marulan could be good too. A lap of the main drag in one direction (until there’s enough business to warrant a second installation in the other direction) would be better than a slow crawl through Goulburn for either of its current chargers. And it means you’d have less southbound range anxiety after you’ve climbed the highlands.
For that reason alone I’d propose Marulan southbound service centre first. If you’re especially lazy, northbound at Goulburn already works if you turn left at then northern end of the bypass and then head to Chargefox.
Though Pheasants Nest (underpass) and/or Sutton Forest/Sally’s Corner (overpass) would be better all-around.
Any site in-between current chargers are inherently better than tripling up a city that already has two competing sites.
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God I need to proofread when I rewrite half a sentence.
Elevation is desperately important on the Hume Highway when you consider where to site chargers. You're going uphill pretty much all the way from Pheasants Nest to Berrima. To say the Bargo Ramp is deceptively steep is an understatement.
Headed north last Friday night I was unusually low on juice by the time I reached Goulburn. The Chargefox rapid was pitifully slow, the ultra-rapids were both offline (the UPS failed a week or two ago), I hate doubling back to the supercharger, I wasn't quite ready for dinner yet, so I thought I'd grab dinner at the Mittagong RSL bistro again. So I charged up to 40% at North Goulburn and then pressed onto Mittagong.
Alas Mittagong was occupied, so I decided to press onto Picton.
Mittagong is almost at the top of the Bargo Ramp, at about 635 metres. Picton is near the bottom of it, at about 165 metres. Coasting down the range is easy, especially if you take the Bargo exit and chug along at 50-80km/h along the old road. I left Goulburn at 40%, Mittagong at 11%, and Picton at 5%.
The big risk with Picton is once you're there, that's it. There's only one DC charger, and there's no AC charging anywhere near there either. Macarthur Square has three-phase AC, and I think it's at about 50 metres elevation. But there's a climb either over Razorback, or up to Wilton to join the freeway. All you can do is check PlugShare and hope someone checked in & reported a successful charge recently.
Which is why I think Pheasant's Nest and Marulan/Goulburn are particularly good spots. Goulburn gives you enough range to comfortably get across half the state, but you need a solid charge to get up the range and into Goulburn. Picton is too far off the beaten track for your typical motorist. Mittagong is almost past the worst of it. And there's nothing between either Zetland, Homebush Bay or Seven Hills, so without Pheasant's Nest (or maybe Crossroads), you have to leave Sydney with enough charge to surmount the range. Under normal circumstances that's fine, but what if you aren't from Sydney and you're trying to get home to the country?
Tempted by the roast pork again!
I agree on Marulan - I used to stop at the roadhouse there quite a bit on drives back from Sydney before I had an EV. That's already on the Evie rollout map though anyway, so not much point debating! I believe it'll take quite a bit of business from Chargefox Goulburn and possibly some from the Superchargers too.
Crossroads I like better than Pheasant's Nest, just because it's comfortably in range of both Canberra to the south and Heatherbrae to the north (so makes particular sense as a Supercharger site, but it's also good for an Evie one as they have Newcastle, Canberra and Yass on their ultra rapid rollout map).
Yep. A week ago they ran short on it. I arrived just in time for the last available serving!
The concern is which site at Marulan.
Northbound BP/Hungry Jacks/Service Centre?
Southbound BP/Hungry Jacks/Service Centre?
Northbound Caltex?
Somewhere else?
I'm more in favour of Pheasant's Nest as it's in range of Wollongong. Given how notoriously unreliable Shell Cove is, it'd be nice to climb up Picton Road, top up, and then start a far more serious climb on the Hume Highway. Getting from Wollongong to Picton uses surprisingly little charge, and there's a decent supply of three-phase AC charging there if you're not sure you have enough to reach Pheasant's Nest. A bathroom break and a quick perusal of K-Mart at Figtree would be enough time
But back on topic, somehow I think Crossroads will happen anyway, regardless of what I'm spitballing here about Pheasant's Nest. And Seven Hills is fantastic. It's easy getting off the M2, charge there, then sneak through Hungry Jacks, get onto Old Windsor Road, and then join the M7 at Norwest Business Park. Or vice-versa. Plus Evie's map also said something about Hornsby. No idea what that really means now that NorthConnex is open. Somewhere around Pennant Hills I assume.
New near complete 2x50kW Evie site spotted at University Hill, Bundoora in North Melbourne.
Has been added to Plugshare
PlugShare - Find Electric Vehicle Charging Locations Near You
This is presumably the site referred to as "Epping, Vic" in their network map (much as Bella Vista became Seven Hills)
Next opening is listed as 11 days away - could well be this by the looks.
Has been added to Plugshare
PlugShare - Find Electric Vehicle Charging Locations Near You
This is presumably the site referred to as "Epping, Vic" in their network map (much as Bella Vista became Seven Hills)
Next opening is listed as 11 days away - could well be this by the looks.
Excessive...
But if it means they have funds to expand & can maintain better reliability than Chargefox, I'll live with it.
Given Tesla have no apparent interest in installing more superchargers, I'll pay it.
Now that superchargers are 52c/kwh, that extra 8c to use Evie means $4 max extra on my 50kWh SR+. Probably <$3. But even $4 is <½ the cost of paying a second toll to rejoin the M2 after using the Macquarie Park supercharger.
It'd be nice if there was a graveyard special rate, at off-peak power hours.
But if it means they have funds to expand & can maintain better reliability than Chargefox, I'll live with it.
(Come on, it's been almost two months since Shell Cove worked, and even longer since it's worked reliably!)
Given Tesla have no apparent interest in installing more superchargers, I'll pay it.
(It's absurd that Sydney has 2 superchargers, both in rather inconvenient locations. Meanwhile NZ's entire population is lower than Sydney's, yet NZ has substantially more superchargers.)
Now that superchargers are 52c/kwh, that extra 8c to use Evie means $4 max extra on my 50kWh SR+. Probably <$3. But even $4 is <½ the cost of paying a second toll to rejoin the M2 after using the Macquarie Park supercharger.
(Evie is conveniently right at the end of the M2, kinda between the last M2 off-ramp at Abbott Road and the first M7 on-ramp at Norwest Boulevard (or vice-versa). Not great if you're travelling from the M2 East to NorthConnex, but if you're doing that, you probably went right past Chargefox Zetland East Village, which is currently 2/3rds the price, so meh.)
It'd be nice if there was a graveyard special rate, at off-peak power hours.
Chuq
Active Member
I checked with one of the team - this is separate to their "Epping" location. All the markers on their website map are 350 kW sites, any 50 kW sites are in addition to those on the map.
Interesting that the focus is on 350kW.
Given the new pricing methodology wonder whether they would consider adding a 50kW (or the new Tritium 75kW unit) to each install to provide an alternative option for those who can't charge super quickly, or have more time.
Like petrol stations, some are price inelastic whereas other will drive distances for cheaper options.
Given the new pricing methodology wonder whether they would consider adding a 50kW (or the new Tritium 75kW unit) to each install to provide an alternative option for those who can't charge super quickly, or have more time.
Like petrol stations, some are price inelastic whereas other will drive distances for cheaper options.
I checked out the under construction site at Uni Hill Bundoora today. The chargers are Tritium and at the back list “output 50KW” for both of them so these are the slower type not the 350KW.
Good to see more chargers appearing around Melbourne’s north (or anywhere frankly) as we will definitely need a lot more ASAP.
Good to see more chargers appearing around Melbourne’s north (or anywhere frankly) as we will definitely need a lot more ASAP.
Chuq
Active Member
The Mulgrave location is the Dandenong site on Plugshare: Caltex @ Cnr Stud Rd and Heatherton Rd, Dandenong VIC 3175
They also have others flagged at:
Bundamba Qld - Cnr Ashburn Rd and Hawkins Cres, Bundamba Qld 4304
Macksville NSW - Caltex @ 22 Cooper St, Macksville NSW 2447
Melton South Vic - Woolworths @ 179 - 253 Exford Rd, Melton South 3338
Werribee Vic - Caltex @ 1 Maltby Bypass, Werribee VIC 3030
Surprising new under construction entry for Evie popped up in Plugshare yesterday.
Mosman, Northern Sydney
Seemingly in the Council carpark just off The Crescent
PlugShare - Find Electric Vehicle Charging Locations Near You
Mosman, Northern Sydney
Seemingly in the Council carpark just off The Crescent
PlugShare - Find Electric Vehicle Charging Locations Near You
rohan_aus
Member
I really hope it's just a 50kw. This location would be a huge waste of a 350kw charger.
Chuq
Active Member
Took a drive at lunch. Spot already reserved with signage up and concrete pad in. Added photos to Plugshare
