The road ahead is electric. We need the infrastructure to catch up

April 11, 2026 — 5:50am

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In the past six weeks, Australian motorists have seen and felt the effects of the Iran war. Those driving petrol and diesel vehicles have confronted the threat of fuel shortages and high prices. At the same time, the interest in electric vehicles and the demand for charging stations has risen significantly.

The surge in interest in EVs is piggybacking on a trend that is steadily climbing in this country. Evie Networks, a DC fast-charging company, expects the number of electric vehicles to grow from about 350,000 at present to 2 million by 2030. The Electric Vehicle Council says the total will be 5 million by 2035. Evie says that in the past month, its data has shown a 20 per cent surge in demand in charging use.

Last year, almost 200,000 new hybrids were sold, up 15 per cent from 2024. EV sales were 102,000, a 13 per cent rise on 2024. According to Pickles Auctions, one of the country’s leading auctioneers, searches for EVs are up 30 per cent on its website. Flowing with this has been a surge in demand from people to live in a residence that has a charging installation as part of the property.

No doubt the Iran war, and its consequent effect........

© The Age