Electric servo highway plan

Oonoonba tipped as place to start

TOWNSVILLE could be the first stop on an “electric super highway” with plans to develop a service station for electric cars to recharge using solar energy.

Minister Assisting the Premier on North Queensland Coralee O’Rourke is pushing for a service station to be built at Oonoonba that has traditional and alternative forms of energy.

The initiative is through Economic Development Queensland and Ergon Energy and part of the Palaszczuk Government’s plan to support emerging and innovative industries.

Ms O’Rourke said it could pave the way for a new era in motoring history.

“Our vision is for this to be the start of an ‘ electric super highway’ by facilitating fastcharging service locations for drivers travelling up and down the length of Queensland,” she said.

“Oonoonba is less than three kilometres from the Bruce Highway and the Townsville CBD, so is well positioned to cater for local motorists as well as those travelling along the highway.”

The development would allow up to two electric vehicles to charge at the same time with a charge time of 15- 30 minutes.

“We understand that for small businesses, pioneering a new technology can be expensive, so we have developed a business model to help re- duce costs,” she said. “Ergon Energy is offering the business owner the opportunity to 100 per cent lease 25kW of solar panels and EDQ will provide support for EV charger equipment leasing.”

Deputy Mayor Vern Veitch said there were already a number of outlets to charge electric cars in the city but said this is what the city needed.

“Anything that is pushing to a more environmentally friendly community has my 100 per cent support,” he said. “We would need to be strategic where it goes so it’s useful for residents and for travellers.”

Cr Veitch said there would need to be similar stations along the highway. “It could add to a network of these stations ... many electric cars would barely get to Ingham on one charge.”