AGL will help to electrify parking stations in the Adelaide CBD, after being awarded a $250,000 grant from the South Australian Government as part of its Electric Vehicle (EV) Smart Charging Trial.

Through the grant, AGL will partner with Wilson Parking, installing 18 EV chargers in three car parks, and providing selected clients with subsidised EV subscriptions, enabling customers to stay charged and get behind the wheel of an EV.

The chargers installed by AGL will have smart charging capabilities, efficiently using power to charge vehicles during periods of high renewable generation.

AGL Chief Customer Officer, Christine Corbett, said AGL is committed to improving the adoption of EVs in South Australia and that increasing the availability of public charging infrastructure is critical to this goal.

“As a state that is ahead of the game in renewable energy, South Australians are ready to get into the drivers’ seat of an EV and we’re proud to be supporting this initiative with more public charging options,” Ms Corbett said. 

“I want to thank the South Australian Government and Wilson Parking for their approach to EVs which will ensure households and businesses have the choice to make a cleaner decision.

“Through this grant from the government, we will be able to subsidise the cost of charger hardware and install as well as the electric vehicle cost, bridging the gap between electric and petrol vehicles.

"As part of the grant, we are also partnering with three organisations to help them begin the transition of their commercial fleets. We will be providing Centacare, Uniting Communities and City of Marion with six EVs and ten chargers to accelerate their switch from petrol vehicles.

“EVs have a critical role to play in Australia’s decarbonisation journey and with more vehicles on the market now is the time to make sure consumers can have a stress-free experience.

“We know one of the biggest barriers to the adoption of EVs is the lack of charging infrastructure. We want to change the accessibility and see public chargers as common as filling up at a petrol station.

“Increased charging infrastructure is crucial to stamping concerns around distance and putting drivers’ minds at ease.

“AGL is committed to supporting the adoption of electric vehicles in Australia which will play a critical role in reducing emissions and supporting targets of net-zero by 2050.”

Wilson Parking Chief Technology Officer, Paul Sidwell said “We are always looking to identify sustainability initiatives for our car parks, and this Trial supports our strategy to expand a National Wilson Parking EV Charging Network, which will make EV charging more accessible for our customers.

“With most of our parking sites located in CBDs across the country, we are positioned to be a key provider of EV charging to those who regularly commute for work, to complement other EV charging at home, destinations and on the highway.”

AGL Energy offers an Electric Vehicle subscription program in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Adelaide and is currently working with ARENA to trial the impact of smart chargers in residential premises.