Around Australia Electric Highway

Discussion about EV/Battery charging infrastructure, Electric highways etc.
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jonescg
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Around Australia Electric Highway

Post by jonescg »

The route around Australia is now complete!

Thanks to the efforts of AEVA members and Tesla owners, we can now drive any electric car around the country without the need for a generator.
Australian charge points.JPG
Australian charge points.JPG (175.83 KiB) Viewed 4431 times
Bring an adaptor so you can use one, or all of the phases of these mainly 3-phase, 32 amp sockets.
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Re: Around Australia Electric Highway

Post by praxidice »

Can you provide a link to a live map as I'd like to check what is available in the area I travel ? Among other things, it has been suggested in some places that stage one of the Queensland electric highway is complete whereas the Helensvale site won't be available until late 2018, and stage two is an unknown quantity that nobody wants to talk about. I've yet to see a single 3 phase 32 amp socket between the NSW border and the Sunshine Coast although there are apparently a few in remote areas and I believe Springers at Lawnton has one. I have in mind to purchase a portable chademo, hence my interest in 3 phase 32 amp sockets.
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Re: Around Australia Electric Highway

Post by PiMan »

You say any electric car, but I think an iMiEV would have trouble with that gap near the WA/SA border...
Actually, looking up the distances, I think anything short of a Tesla's range would have trouble with that gap.
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Re: Around Australia Electric Highway

Post by praxidice »

There are lots of places where an iMiEV would be stretched although one isn't completely without options. I have a generator for last resort use and looking at a number of other range-extending options. The Chargepoint list doesn't appear to have been kept up to date but I'm working through that. I'm having trouble finding 3 phase 32 amp sockets in the area I travel however I'm still looking. With a bit of luck someone will provide a live version of the map above as it seems to have a number of locations that Plugshare doesn't know about. Its been around a bit and I suspect a few people have borrowed it from the Tesla Owners Club website which doesn't have a live map either.
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Re: Around Australia Electric Highway

Post by jonescg »

https://www.plugshare.com/location/131757 for example. The longest stretch on the Nullarbor is now 180-odd km. And that's because there is literally nothing between the two roadhouses.

I think the iMiEV or a Leaf would struggle in a few points, but @jeffthewalker managed to drive his Leaf around the country.

The route makes it possible. It doesn't make it easy ;)
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Re: Around Australia Electric Highway

Post by jeffthewalker »

I often see a mention for this and "Qld electric highway" being for any electric vehicle. There is now, and there always will be, EVs with 100km range.

The WA "electric highway" works well with DCFC spaced around 80km apart.
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Re: Around Australia Electric Highway

Post by praxidice »

For some reason, it seems that WA bloodsucking parasites are slightly more enlightened than the bloodsucking parasites in other states. This business about 3 phase 32 amp sockets appears to be associated largely with country showgrounds as I have stumbled across some that are so equipped. Unfortunately there are not many country showgrounds close to capital cities. Maybe caravan parks and service stations might be possibilities although I haven't canvassed them as yet. I like the idea of portable chademo units but still need places to plug them in.
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Re: Around Australia Electric Highway

Post by jeffthewalker »

The Around Australia Electric Highway is suitable only for EVs with 300+ km range.They (AEVA members) have done well to get the 3 phase sockets in lots of places such as roadhouses. Long range EVs with generous on-board chargers can do really well with this infrastructure. However, my LEAF (and other low range EVs) can only charge at 15A single phase. So even with a three phase to single phase adapter cable we are still stuck with a 4 to 5 charge when traveling long distances.

Portable CHAdeMO units will eventually be available at reasonable cost that will be able to take advantage of these 3 phase outlets. I would consider hiring a portable CHAdeMO unit for a weekend touring.
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Re: Around Australia Electric Highway

Post by Rusdy »

Thank you AEVA and those who are involved in getting more charging spots. In WA, I got to enjoy the fruit of AEVA hard labour (and lots of those behind the scene, and front, such as RAC) so I could easily travel outside the city using my 'classic' Leaf, charged by the DC fast chargers, merely spaced at 70km apart or below.

I'm sure these new 32A spots will be very handy in the future. This is a good idea considering Australia is yet to implement standard charging plugs. There will always be adapter to suit.
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Re: Around Australia Electric Highway

Post by praxidice »

The portable chademo that according to plugshare used to live at Springers Lawnton is no longer there and no staff have any knowledge of it. I believe the post re the portable chademo was made by a Leaf owner from another group.
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Re: Around Australia Electric Highway

Post by praxidice »

Has anyone tried using the Electric Highway Tritium chademo /CCS charger at Coolangatta airport ? The cables are extremely short and it is impossible to connect a Minicab without parking side-on. The cables are probably OK for a Leaf or any other EV with the connector in a comparable position but I suepect anyone else would experience problems. Its not a problem with all Tritium chargers, at least the Yarrabilba unit has decent length cables and I believe the now removed one that used to live at Brisbane BMW also had decent length cables.
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Re: Around Australia Electric Highway

Post by ev.2549 »

There have been a number of posts about showgrounds and caravan parks. In my neck of the woods (southern NSW) I have not yet found a showground that doesn't have a few 32A 3 ph sockets, and some have 20A 3 ph. They all work, although of course it is polite to seek permission, and to offer to pay (I usually offer $10 for a $6 full charge, or $5 for an hour's top up (7kW i3)). Most/all(?) caravan parks have 15A, but some need some careful duchessing to allow them to be used (I have paid for a camp site, but not camped - only plugged in!). The odd Tesla HPWC is a welcome alternative! PlugShare is my friend!
I can now use both CCS1 and CCS2, so that helps.
As far as Highway1, I think we have to accept that 200km is probably the best it will ever get in the GAFFA, so my 110km i3 is destined to remain in the eastern states, unless I can do a battery upgrade next year (when the 120Ah batteries become available from Samsung SDI).
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Re: Around Australia Electric Highway

Post by jonescg »

ev.2549 wrote: Mon, 02 Jul 2018, 10:19 I can now use both CCS1 and CCS2, so that helps.
Oooh so you got the adaptor?
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Re: Around Australia Electric Highway

Post by ev.2549 »

jonescg wrote: Mon, 02 Jul 2018, 10:21
ev.2549 wrote: Mon, 02 Jul 2018, 10:19 I can now use both CCS1 and CCS2, so that helps.
Oooh so you got the adaptor?
Yep, AFAIK, the only one... Safely coiled up inside my newly-acquired 19" spare wheel <wink>
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Re: Around Australia Electric Highway

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Is there reason to believe BMW i3 can be upgraded ? Everything I've read about Mitsubishis and Nissans suggests that its extremely difficult if not impossible to fit a bigger battery because there isn't sufficient information about the computer software in the public domain. From dealings I've had with Mitsubishi and Nissan, I can't imagine either company providing the necessary information. Is BMW likely to be more enlightened ?
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Re: Around Australia Electric Highway

Post by ev.2549 »

dunno, maybe wishful thinking. i3 can be upgraded in Germany, there has to be a way. let's wait until the 120 Ah version is released and then recap.
pete gorton
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