Find out all you need to know about the Q.E.S.H

TAKE A CARBON–NEUTRAL TRIP UP THE QLD COAST

The future of motoring is most certainly an electric one. Electric vehicles (EVs) are becoming better designed, more reliable, faster and more aesthetically pleasing by the day.

One day, EVs will be better in every way than their petrol and diesel counterparts.

For now, at least, this future is still some way off and traditional petrol heads still have some time to get used to the idea.

A clear indicator of where the motoring industry is headed, is the sheer number of car makers adding their own EVs to the market.

Large manufacturers like Mercedes Benz, BMW, Volvo and Toyota (to name a few) have all started investing in their EV models, with a plan to phase out their internal combustion engines over the next couple of years.

Another good indicator, is infrastructure, like the Queensland Electric Super Highway (QESH).

It is the world’s longest super highway in a single state, allowing drivers to travel from Coolangatta to Cairns and from Brisbane to Toowoomba in a low- or zeroemissions vehicle.

There are currently about 2300 EVs on Australia’s roads, serviced by roughly 800 charging stations (only three quarters of which are fast–charging).

Along the QESH, drivers will find 31 fast charging stations at 17 destinations, all situated at safe and convenient locations close to major highways.

These locations already boast amenities like cafés, restaurants and shops, allowing travellers to stock up on ‘fuel’ for themselves, as well as for their vehicles.

Toowoomba’s own charging station is located at the Caltex Charlton Travel Centre and offers both 50kW DC and 22kW AC (‘BYO cable’)–type charging plugs.

These fast charging stations will not keep you on the side of the road overnight, either.

At Toombul Shopping Centre in Brisbane, home to two of Queensland’s fastest EV charging stations, a driver can add 400 kilometres to their vehicle’s driving range in just 15 minutes, so making the trip to Cairns is more than possible in an EV.

Until recently, using the charging points along the QESH has been free, but there is talk that a charge of $0.45 per kilowatt hour will be levied, which is less than half the price for a tank of petrol.

This fee will equate to about $20 for 300 kilometres of driving range.

Prices will be set by Yurika Energy, the sustainable energy arm of Energy Queensland.

If you’re interested in taking your own EV all the way to tropical North Queensland, or perhaps renting one to test it out, head over to the Queensland Government’s website for an interactive map of charging stations along the QESH.