Is Adelaide ready for electric vehicles?
- Major Differences between Electric Vehicles and Fuel-Powered Cars
- Pros and Cons of Electric Vehicles
- Pro: Better for the Environment
- Con: More Expensive Upfront Costs
- Pro: High-Quality Performance
- Con: Range Limitation
- Pro: More Storage Space
- Con: Long Charging Time
- Pro: Energy Efficient
- Con: Few Charging Stations
- Pro: Cheaper Ongoing Cost
- Con: Few Available Models
- Pro: Low-Maintenance
- Electric Vehicle Incentives Offered in South Australia
- Charging Fees and Stations in Adelaide
- Charging Cable
- FAQs about Electric Vehicles in Adelaide
With the current rise of electric vehicle purchases in Adelaide and the pro-EV plans and incentives provided by the local and national governments, Adelaide is becoming more and more ready for electric vehicles.
In early 2022, the number of registered electric vehicles in the country rose from 44,000 to over 84,000. By early 2023, the government projects that the number of EV owners will even increase to 100,000 and more.
The City Council of Adelaide has also received a 12 million dollar state grant to be used for the construction of more than 140 electric vehicle charging stations which will all be fully operational in early 2024.
To help you decide whether or not you want to own an electric vehicle, our team has thoroughly researched the important information concerning these modern modes of transportation.
Major Differences between Electric Vehicles and Fuel-Powered Cars
We’ll start the discussion by explaining the key differences between electric vehicles and fuel-powered cars. The table below will explain their major dissimilarities.
Please note that the average top range (how long a fully-charged or fully-fuelled vehicle can run), the price range, and the number of gear categories are model-dependent.
| ELECTRIC VEHICLE | FUEL-POWERED CAR | |
| Power Source | Electric Motor | Internal Combustion Engine |
| Average Speed | 177 km per hour | 80 km per hour |
| Average Horsepower | 400 | 200 |
| Average Top Range | 100 km to 640 km | 200 km to 2000 km |
| Price Range | $45,000 to $350,000 | $18,000 to $800,000 |
| Average Tailpipe CO2 Emission | Zero | 146 g/km to 213 g/km (2021) |
| Number of Gears | 1 or 2 | 5 or 6 |
Pros and Cons of Electric Vehicles
Just like any other product, electric vehicles also have positive and negative qualities or features that consumers must know before purchasing one.
The table below presents the top pros and cons of owning an electric vehicle.
Pros
- Better for the environment
- High-quality performance
- More storage space
- Energy efficient
- Cheaper ongoing costLow-maintenance
Cons
- More expensive upfront costs
- Range limitations
- Long charging time
- Few charging stations
- Few available models
Pro: Better for the Environment
The country’s National Transport Commission reports that in 2021, the range of tailpipe CO2 emissions of vehicles in Australia is 146 g/km to 213 g/km.
This data shows a 2% decrease from 2020, but the number is still alarming because of how damaging it is to the environment.
For those who don’t know, the CO2 (carbon dioxide) that vehicles produce contributes greatly to climate change. The more CO2 is released into the atmosphere, the warmer the world becomes.
If you purchase an electric vehicle, you could help decrease CO2 emissions because EVs don’t release this harmful element. This environment-friendly feature of electric vehicles is made possible by their electric motors that don’t burn fuel.
It’s important to note, though, that the charging and manufacturing of electric vehicles’ batteries still contribute to carbon pollution.
A study done by EPA, however, shows that the carbon footprint generated by these processes is still lower than that of standard fuel-powered vehicles.
The graphs below show and compare the percentage of dangerous elements EVs and gas-powered vehicles release into our atmosphere.
Note: GHGs stand for greenhouse gasses
Con: More Expensive Upfront Costs
Purchasing a new vehicle will cost you big bikkies. This statement is especially true when it comes to electric vehicles.
With a price range of $40,000 to 44,000, the MG ZS electric vehicle is the most affordable EV model available in Australia in 2023.
On the one hand, the cheapest fuel-powered car in the same year is the Kia Picanto model which costs around $16,000 to $18,000.
If you also compare the next 4 cheapest models of these respective vehicle types, you’ll clearly see the stark difference in pricing.
For reference, here’s a comparison of the next 4 cheapest models of electric vehicles and fuel-powered cars available in the country.
| CHEAPEST ELECTRIC VEHICLE MODELS | CHEAPEST FUEL-POWERED CAR MODELS |
| BYD Atto 3 – $45,000 to $48,000 | MG 3 – $19,000 to $20,000 |
| Hyundai Ionic Electric – $50,000 to $54,000 | Kia Rio – $20,000 to 21,000 |
| Nissan Leaf – $51,000 to $52,000 | Suzuki Ignis – $21,000 to $24,000 |
| Hyundai Konna – $54,000 to $64,000 | MG ZS – $24,000 to $25,000 |
Pro: High-Quality Performance
With quick acceleration, top-notch torque from a standstill, and the ability to achieve maximum power without waiting for gasoline build-up, electric vehicles provide high-quality performance.
They also have a better center of gravity that makes driving feel smooth.
The battery pack is placed in the middle section of electric vehicles. What this battery placement results in is optimal weight distribution that improves the car’s movements, stability, and cornering.
Since electric vehicles don’t have combustion engines too, they’re a lot quieter compared to fuel-powered cars. Without the boisterous roaring of the traditional car engine, the road trips you’d have with your EV would feel and sound more relaxing.
Con: Range Limitation
When electric vehicles first came out, one of the major flaws pointed out by motorists is their range limitation. Before, the top range of a fully-charged electric vehicle was less than 200 km only.
This means that once you reach this distance, you better hope that there’s a nearby charging station or you might call another driver to fetch you.
This concern has been solved, though, as modern models can now go above the 200 km distance limit.
With that said, you might be wondering why our team still thinks that the range limitation of electric vehicles is still a con.
Well, the answer to that is simple: fuel-powered cars normally have a top range of 200 to 2,000 km. This means that on long drives, fuel-powered cars are far superior and more reliable than electric vehicles.
Pro: More Storage Space
The front portion of traditional fuel-powered cars is where you can usually find the combustion engine. And since an electric vehicle doesn’t have a combustion engine, its front portion is used as an additional area to store different things.
This additional storage space is called frunk, which is short for “front trunk.” Bags, small appliances, and compact objects can be kept here.
Keep in mind, though, that the sizes of extra storage spaces on electric vehicles still vary from model to model. You have to check the dimensions per model if wider storage space is your clincher when it comes to car purchases.
Con: Long Charging Time
This might be a dealbreaker for motorists who value their time. To fully recharge the battery pack of an electric vehicle, you must normally wait for around 4 to 80 hours depending on your electric vehicle’s model and charging station.
There are three levels when it comes to the charging stations of electric vehicles: level 1, level 2, and level 3.
If you recharge the fully-empty battery of your electric vehicle at a level 1 charging station aka the home outlet, it will take approximately 40 hours for your EV to be fully charged.
Charging at a level 2 station would decrease your wait time significantly. This public charging station will fully charge your fully-empty electric vehicle in just about 4 to 10 hours.
The downside (since this is a public charging station) is that you may have to wait for other EVs to finish charging first if all the other stations are occupied.
Lastly, a level 3 charging station can fully recharge your electric vehicle’s empty battery in just about 20 to 30 minutes. This type of public charging station uses direct current power and will also charge you a lot of money.
Pro: Energy Efficient
In the context of driving, energy efficiency measures the amount of energy from a source (diesel, petrol, or electricity) that’s converted into the force which mobilizes a vehicle.
According to EnergySage, electric vehicles are far superior to fuel-powered cars in this category because they have batteries that convert 59 to 62 percent of electric energy.
Vehicles powered by gas, on the other hand, use engines that convert only 17 to 21 percent of fuel energy.
To put it simply, this data shows that recharging the batteries of electric vehicles would provide you with more power compared to filling a fuel-powered car’s tank with fuel.
Con: Few Charging Stations
In 2023, there are only about 3,700 electric vehicle charging stations in all of Australia, and drivers of electric vehicles can access them in just 2,100 locations.
This is a disadvantage, especially after a 2022 report by TheGuardian revealed that over 83,000 Aussies already drive electric vehicles.
The number of electric vehicle owners is also expected to rise to over 100,000 in mid to late 2023.
For comparison, the country of Canada in early 2023 recorded over 90,000 registered electric vehicles. And they already have over 20,000 public charging stations in over 8,300 locations.
The future of charging stations in Australia is not all too dire, though.
The state government plans to add more charging stations in the country and an article by ThePropertyTribune states that by early 2024, 140 new stations will be available to the public.
Pro: Cheaper Ongoing Cost
Generally speaking, fuel is more expensive compared to electricity, and it is also more prone to price fluctuation. With these two factors in mind, it might be safe to say that in the long run, electric vehicles would actually save you a lot of money.
In 2022, 20 to 30 cents is what the average Australian household pays per kilowatt-hour of home electricity. And keep in mind that normally, 12 to 25 kilowatt-hours is what a standard model of electric vehicle consumes for a distance of 100 km.
If you have a massive electric vehicle that has an advanced feature like super-acceleration, the price you’ll be paying for a distance of 100 km would just be around $7.50.
This price could even decrease to $4 if you own a more efficient model of the electric vehicle or an alternative source of electricity like solar panels.
Now, let’s compare these prices with what an efficient, hybrid fuel-powered car like a Skoda or Lexus model would cost you.
If you travel for 100 km using the most gas-efficient models Skoda or Lexus, you’d consume 5 liters of fuel. And in a time where a liter of fuel will cost you $2, you’d have to pay $10 per 100 km.
This comparison from a report by EnvironmentJournal shows the amount of money you can save in the long run if you choose an electric vehicle.
Con: Few Available Models
The moguls of electric vehicle manufacturing like Tesla, Audi, Jaguar, Range Rover, Porsche, Nissan, MG, Mercedes, etc. have been pushing multiple electric vehicle models and types in the Australian market.
There’s still no denying, though, that fuel-powered cars offer more models. According to CarGuide, there are only 31 passenger electric vehicle models from 12 manufacturers being sold in Australia.
On the other hand, over 350 models of fuel-powered cars are offered by 56 different car manufacturers. If you also consider the high upfront prices of EVs, this con becomes a more glaring issue.
Pro: Low-Maintenance
A conventional or classic fuel-powered vehicle has nearly 2,000 moving parts that include fuel filters, spark plugs, pistons, engine blocks, manifolds, and many more.
The number of moving parts in a fuel-powered car that you have to preserve and maintain makes it an extremely high-maintenance automobile.
An electric vehicle, on the other hand (drum roll, please), only has 20 or fewer moving parts!
Although these parts will likely cost more to maintain in the early stages of your electric vehicle ownership (especially the battery packs), they’ll definitely save you a lot of money in the future.
This graph posted by DigitalTrends shows how the maintenance cost of electric vehicles is less in the long run.
It’s important to remember too that the way you take care of your car is the most important factor regarding maintenance.
Electric Vehicle Incentives Offered in South Australia
With the rise of electric vehicle ownership, the South Australian government has started to offer incentives to increase private buyers’ uptakes.
South Australian officials are offering these incentives to reach their goal of making South Australian motorists use only electric vehicles by 2030.
These incentives are the following:
- For electric vehicles first registered from October 28, 2021, to June 30, 2025, three years of free registration will be offered.
- 7,500 households that own an electric vehicle will be given $2,000 to install home-based electronic vehicle smart chargers.
- For a limited and unspecified time during the point of sale, 7,000 subsidies worth $3,000 will be deducted from the electronic vehicle’s purchase price for EVs that have a value of up to $68,750.
Charging Fees and Stations in Adelaide
Adelaide’s one of the first cities in the country to embrace the rise of electric vehicles. The city currently has an increasing network of public charging stations, and in this section, we’ll be giving you their locations.
But before our team lists the charging stations in Adelaide, we’ll discuss first the charging fees for electric vehicles and how you can pay them.
The charging fees for 2023 are listed below.
| FAST CHARGERS(AC <22kW) | SUPERFAST CHARGERS(DC <50kW) | |
| First hour | Free | Free |
| After the first hour | 25 cents per kWh with a minimum $1 fee after an hour and 5 minutes | 35 cents per kWh with a minimum $1 fee after an hour and 5 minutes |
These fees can be paid via the following methods.
- Contactless payment using Visa payWave
- Via the Chargefox App
Now, here are the electric vehicle charging stations you can find in the city of Adelaide.
| ON-STREET CHARGING STATION | OFF-STREET CHARGING STATIONS |
| ●70 Light Square, Adelaide – 2 x 22kW charging points ●61 Jerningham St, North Adelaide – 2 x 22kW charging points ●47 Hindmarsh Square, Adelaide – 2 x 22kW charging points ●109 Franklin St, Adelaide – Electric Vehicle Charging Hub – 2 x 22kW charging points, 2 x 50kW charging points, and 4 x Tesla-owned charging points | ●UPark Rundle – 11 x 22kW charging points ●UPark Central Market – 11 x 22kW charging points ●UPark Topham – 4 x 22kW charging points, 6 x 22kW reserved EV bays ●UPark Grote – 2 x 15-Amp EV power points ●UPark Wyatt – 4 x 22kW for casual parking, 6 x 22kW reserved EV bays |
Charging Cable
Please note that the City of Adelaide’s 22kW AC fast chargers come with a Type 2 (Mennekes) plug. This means that you must bring your cable with a Type 2 (Mennekes) socket to connect to our charging stations.
Additionally, tethered cables are attached to the two 50kW DC superfast chargers at the Adelaide EV Charging Hub on Franklin Street. (1 x CCS Type 1, 1 x CCS Type 2, and 2 x CHAdeMO).
Finally, the two 15-Amp EV power outlets at UPark Grote are accessible on Level 1 electric vehicles that utilize a standard cable with a traditional AU or NZ wall outlet.
To avoid damages, we advise going online or contacting your car supplier if you’re not certain what’s the exact cable to use for your electric vehicle.
