Aussies have been left stranded for up to five hours over the long Easter weekend, with one viral video exposing the “disaster” state of the country’s electric vehicle charging infrastructure.
Several frustrated drivers took to social media to reveal the grim reality of EV ownership during the holiday peak.
In one video posted to Facebook, a user claimed they had to wait up to five hours to charge their car. The footage, with over 1.3 million views, shows people standing around as a single charger powers a single vehicle, with a line of cars waiting behind it.
“It’s really a disaster and the worst is yet to come with all of this,” one user commented.
“Yep EV’s are the way forward,” another said sarcastically.
However, the video also allowed others to brag about the pump’s efficiency.
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“I just pulled into the petrol station, and I was gone in five minutes,” one user said.
In another post, a Tesla owner documented their experience at a Supercharger site in Cann River, Victoria where 10 cars were reportedly waiting to use three chargers.
The site is a key stop for Tesla drivers, as Australia’s sparse charging network leaves few alternatives for those on long-haul trips.
According to Tesla’s website, the next closest Superchargers are located in either Bairnsdale, Victoria, or Eden, NSW, about 165km and 109km away, respectively
The growing frustration comes as demand for EVs continues to soar.
With petrol prices stubbornly sitting above $2 a litre and diesel hovering over $3, Australians are feeling the pinch at the bowser.
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A BYD spokesperson confirmed that inquiries have spiked by 50 per cent following recent fuel price hikes linked to the US-Iran conflict.
“We’re seeing people who were ordinarily in the market for a new petrol vehicle now changing their preference for an EV or low-fuel-using super hybrid,” they said.
“We’re also seeing customers who were considering an EV or super hybrid down the track bringing forward their purchasing decision.”
The company said it now has more than 10,000 orders across its range.
Other brands are reporting similar record-breaking interest.
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Omoda Jaecoo, Chery’s premium sub-brand, noted that its J5 EV has surpassed 4,000 orders since its Australian launch earlier this year, with 2,000 of those coming in the last fortnight alone.
Meanwhile, car rental marketplace Turo reported that EV bookings in Australia have jumped 70 per cent.
“We’re seeing a massive surge in bookings for fuel-efficient cars on the marketplace,” said Turo Australia managing director Rob Chan.
“People travelling in Australia who might never have driven an EV or hybrid before are booking them. We predict that once customers experience high-end EVs and their lower running costs, they’ll become a more mainstream choice.”
