New electric vehicle (EV) charging stations are popping up around the Surf Coast Shire as the council looks to reduce its effect on greenhouse gas emissions.
Surf Coast Shire Council received $30,500 for the $55,000 project from the state government’s EV charging for council fleets funding program.
Councillor Kate Gazzard said the program enabled the installation of two-kilowatt chargers at the council’s Torquay Civic headquarters and one at each Torquay and Winchelsea works depots.
“This installation project provides us with EV charging coverage at Council’s main work sites,” she said.
“It provides scope for expanding our EV fleet and reducing greenhouse gas emissions, in line with our Climate Emergency response.
“Council resolved in April last year to set June 2030 as a target for zero greenhouse gas emissions from all corporate operations, excluding Anglesea landfill.”
Council has one existing EV charger, with two more expected within the next year, and currently provides free public EV chargers at Moriac Community Centre and Lorne Visitor Information Centre.
Council is working on further installations across the shire to meet the rising demand and expectations and promote more sustainable transport options and tourism.
The project forms part of the council’s Zero 2030 target of reaching zero emissions for its light fleet vehicles by 2027-28 and for its whole fleet, including trucks and excavators, by 2030.
