According to Viva Energy, it will take approximately five years for electric vehicles (EVs) to gain a significant share of the Australian car market. The company is committed to ensuring that EV owners have a quality shopping experience while waiting for their vehicles to charge.
CEO Scott Wyatt has outlined Viva Energy’s strategy to invest in EV chargers alongside upgrades to its retail offerings at petrol stations across the country. Wyatt estimates that this nationwide rollout will span five years, aligning with the expected growth rate of EV adoption in Australia.
Currently, EVs represent about 0.9 percent of all vehicles in Australia. However, their rapid growth is quickly surpassing the availability of fast charging stations, as highlighted by data from Ampol.
Viva Energy began its venture into the EV charging market last year, announcing plans to install 30 charging hubs at Shell-branded petrol stations across New South Wales (NSW). The company expects 26 of these to be operational by early 2025, with the full rollout of 30 hubs as the ultimate goal. This project is supported by $14.7 million in funding from the NSW government.
Wyatt emphasised the importance of offering a compelling retail experience for customers during the EV charging process, which typically takes more time than traditional refuelling. Currently, Viva Energy operates 14 charge points in partnership with Evie Networks and has inherited six more through its acquisition of the OTR brand. By early 2025, the company aims to have around 50 charge points available across its service station network.
Petrol station operators have been slow to introduce EV charging infrastructure. Ampol, for example, cited difficulties in connecting charging bays to the grid, resulting in delays that mean its 300 charging bays won’t be fully operational until 2025. So far, only 38 of those bays have been added to the national charging network.
Viva Energy’s NSW project is innovative, combining four charge points at each site with solar panels and battery storage to ease the burden on the electrical grid—a strategy that NRMA has also adopted to circumvent grid connection issues. Despite some challenges, the rollout is progressing smoothly, according to a company spokesperson.
However, Viva Energy is currently focused on integrating two major acquisitions—Coles Express and OTR Group—while managing the increased debt from these purchases. This financial situation has led to a 10 percent reduction in capital spending for the coming year, meaning fewer resources are available for non-essential projects.
For now, Viva Energy’s energy transition efforts are concentrated on a hydrogen refuelling station for heavy vehicles in Geelong, which is set to be commissioned in early 2025. This facility will also feature an electric charging station as part of its broader commitment to sustainable energy solutions.
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