Ampol launches first of 120 electric vehicle fast chargers

Petrol, diesel and gas supplier Ampol has officially launched its energy expansion, with its electric vehicle charger opening in Sydney this week.

Ampol has commenced the roll-out of its fast chargers with five petrol stations – Alexandria and Northmead (NSW), Altona North (Victoria), Carseldine (Queensland) and Belmont (WA) – as part of its AmpCharge program, which also plans to sell EV chargers for business and home installations.

The five pilot sites represent the start of the 121-strong charging locations planned across Australia by December 2023, as thousands of electric vehicles begin hitting local roads.

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Image: Tesla Model 3 charging at the AmpCharge station in Alexandria, courtesy Ludicrous Feed

A full map is yet to be released, with the chain – previously known as Caltex – operating approximately 1900 service stations nationwide.

The petroleum company is yet to reveal the program's overall cost; however, it is partly funded by $7.05 million from the Federal Government’s Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA).

Each charger will be capable of delivering up to 150kW, with one charging unit and two plugs – CCS2 and CHAdeMO – offered at the flagship Alexandria site, which also features solar panels, battery storage, and a Woolworths convenience store.

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However, the current units are limited to 70kW – pending a further upgrade – while the latest models from Tesla, Kia, Hyundai and Porsche support maximum charge rates between 250kW and 350kW.

Earlier this year, Ampol managing director and CEO Matt Halliday said the announcement is “an important step forward in the execution of Ampol’s future energy and mobility strategy.”

“I’m pleased to today unveil our full-service electric vehicle fast charging ecosystem, AmpCharge, leveraging our existing network, skills and infrastructure to provide a diverse and comprehensive charging network that can minimise range anxiety and support the uptake of BEVs in Australia,” he said.

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“We’ve been keeping Australians moving for over 120 years. Today, as energy needs evolve, our vision is to become Australia’s leading distributer [sic] of energy, providing mobility solutions for any of the vehicles our customers drive, anywhere and anytime they need it.

“As we begin to evolve our national network, consumers will see AmpCharge in Ampol service stations, depots and terminals right across the country. For the first time, we’ll also be entering homes, workplaces and shopping centres as we seek to deliver simple and efficient charging solutions at convenient locations to keep people moving.”

Ampol also operates 10 separate electric vehicle charging stations across seven petrol stations in Victoria, New South Wales and Western Australia, as part of a partnership with charging supplier Evie. It is currently unknown if these units will be replaced by the company’s own AmpCharge network.