Electric Vehicles

Switching to an electric car can save you money and reduce carbon emissions.

So, with concern about global warming and its consequences ever-growing, it’s no wonder that Electric Vehicles (EVs) are becoming more popular with homeowners in Sydney’s environmentally-conscious inner city and inner west.

According to research by the Electric Vehicle Council, electric vehicle sales in Australia tripled in 2019, while petrol/diesel vehicle sales fell by 7.8%. The first half of 2020 saw 3,226 EVs sold with 52% of Australian consumers surveyed saying they would now consider buying an EV.

More EVs are expected to be seen on NSW roads soon, as they become more affordable and improved battery technology delivers longer range and shorter recharging times.

The NSW Government has an Electric and Hybrid Vehicle Plan to support the infrastructure and uptake of EVs. Electric buses are already on trial in the inner west, with more to come, and Transport for NSW is working with Australian tech start-up, Evenergi, to create an online customer platform to help consumers find charging points and purchase EVs.

Why go green?

There are a range of compelling reasons for making the switch. EVs are cheaper, cleaner and quieter to run and come with significant economic and environmental benefits.

What’s more, they’re fun to drive, require less maintenance, and remove concerns about future fuel security. The Electric Vehicle Council estimates the cost of running an EV as $0.33c per litre, versus approximately $1.50 per litre for a traditional fuel-powered vehicle.

By charging an EV with electricity generated by solar panels, the cost will become $0.

Charging an EV

While 80% of EV owners globally charge their car at home, an ever-expanding network of public charging infrastructure is being installed across Sydney and Australia, with the current number of public charging stations nationwide over 2,300 at over 1300 locations and rapidly growing. This EV charger map can help you locate those closest to you.

Local councils are supporting communities to make the change by installing chargers in local areas and it is becoming increasingly common to see EV chargers at shopping centres or carparks.

When property developer Mirvac introduced its first electric car charging points at its shopping centres in late 2017, usage was typically around 300 charges per month. Now, its Broadway Shopping Centre in inner Sydney alone attracts 1500 customers for its free charging each month and Mirvac is planning rapid expansion. The company's South Eveleigh development in inner Sydney offers multiple high powered EV charging points. And locals can also pop into the East Village in Zetland for free EV charging in the carpark.

Future-proofing properties

Like solar panels, water tanks, and power-saving technologies, we expect to see an increase in the number of properties that have an EV charging station. We also anticipate more buyers and renters will begin to include EV charging stations - or the possibility for one - in their property search criteria.

Because the cost of retrofitting EV chargers, particularly in apartments, can be huge, more developers are including them in new developments as a way of ‘future-proofing', with some opting to equip every apartment with a universal EV charger as standard. According to Domain, if you are apartment hunting, this is one feature you ought to be looking out for.

If you’re looking to buy or sell in Sydney’s inner city, contact us today.