Fast public EV charging: Throttling, cables, apps and a major build out

Australia now has circa 5,000 public electric vehicle charge-points across some 2,500 locations, with the number of charging sites roughly doubling over the last three years.

The vast majority (1,928, according to Australia’s Electric Vehicle Council) are slower chargers – great for a few more kilometres of range if you’re parked for an hour while shopping. As of December 2022, there were 365 fast chargers (with power outputs of 24-99kW) and 99 ultra fast chargers, capable of delivering 100kW-350kW, which technically means batteries can be fully charged in just a few minutes.

However, headline rates of power aren’t always matched in reality. That’s because some cars are limited to lower headline rates of power – Volvo Car Australia’s current electric models can be plugged into the fastest 350kW chargers, but will cap out at 150kW to maximise battery life (though maximum inputs will improve in future).

Similarly, most car battery management systems tend to ‘throttle’ power during the charge to preserve the life of the battery. So drivers planning longer journeys must bear in mind that headline peak charging speeds may only occur for a part of their charge. At other times, they may be slower, which is where in-car entertainment systems prove their worth.

Meanwhile, different charging networks are owned and operated by different companies – with traditional petroleum majors such as BP and Ampol now ramping-up plans to rollout rapid charge-points, joining Australia’s dedicated EV charging network providers (drive.com.au lists the main networks here). Collectively, they plan to rollout out thousands more chargers over the next few years.

**Finding charge-points – and using them**

Volvo Cars come with Google Maps* as standard so drivers can plan routes and locate charging stations, and there are plenty of other resources, such as NSW Government’s charging map, and third party maps, such as PlugShare, which Cars Guide rates as the most comprehensive.

But to use the chargers, most network operators currently require drivers to use their own apps (though Australia’s first ‘tap and go’ charging station launched this month, handy for those that find themselves needing a charge in Bicheno, Tasmania).

That means many of Australia’s EV drivers – there are estimated to be circa 83,000 EVs on the road in Australia as of December 2022, of which 79 per cent are battery electric vehicles and the remainder plug-in hybrids – usually need to have multiple apps on their phones to ensure maximum choice if they need to charge on the go.

**BYO cables**

Some out-of-home charge-points require drivers to bring their own cables, which is why keeping a separate ‘type 2’ cable in the ‘frunk’ (the front trunk) is highly recommended – with Volvo retailers able to assist.

Volvo Car Australia covers electric vehicle charging choices, including home charging and additional cabling, here.

Above all, it’s worth remembering that Australians on average drive 38km per day. Which means with 400km-plus of range on a full charge, most Volvo Cars will comfortably stay within the 20-80 per cent recommended battery state all week.

*Subject to network availability. Google is a trademark of Google LLC. Supplied with 4 years of Google Automotive Services. After this period, new terms and costs may apply. Fair Use Policy for data applies.