The Western Australian electric vehicle (EV) network is now operational, offering EV owners one of the world’s longest connected highways, which covers a 7,000 kilometre route, featuring 110 charging points across 49 locations.

Delivered by state-owned electricity company Horizon Power and gentailer Synergy, and funded by the Western Australian government, the Western Australian EV Network stretches from Mundrabilla, 1,317 kilometres east of Perth, to Kununurra, 3,135 kilometres northeast of Perth, with chargers approximately 200 kilometres apart.

Some isolated chargers are supported by standalone power systems, which draw on solar and small-scale battery storage for power.

WA Premier Roger Cook said the government’s investment will help to bring down the barriers to EV uptake and help to get more EVs on the road across Western Australia.

The Electric Vehicle Council Head of Legal, Policy and Advocacy Aman Gaur said the completion of Western Australia’s electric highway will help supercharge the state’s transition to EVs.

“The completion of [Western Australia's] electric highway is a major milestone … that will give Western Australians even more confidence and motivation to switch to an electric vehicle,” said Gaur.

“Range anxiety, both real and perceived, is still a major barrier preventing many Australians from making the switch to electric vehicles. That’s why building electric highways and expanding public charging infrastructure are crucial to driving greater EV adoption.

Gaur said electric highways offer a wide range of benefits and are the opposite of a highway bypass.

“Instead of diverting visitors away from regional towns, EV fast chargers get people back into regional communities to top up their vehicles and spend both time and money in local areas – a win-win-win for the regions,” Gaur said.

“With the [Western Australian] election just around the corner, we are urging all parties to build on the state’s progress by committing to more electric vehicle initiatives. That includes funding grants to install EV chargers on kerbsides and in existing apartment buildings, as well as providing incentives for councils to make council-owned car parks available for charging stations.”

The WA EV initiative is part of the governments EV strategy, which aims to boost EV uptake in WA to help reach state’s target of net zero carbon emissions by 2050.