A SUPERCHARGER station is next on the agenda for Bathurst as the Tesla electric car company looks to take advantage of the city’s location and automotive history.
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Sydney-based Tesla site developer Frank Groot was in Bathurst this week, just weeks after the first Tesla electric car recharge station in the Central Tablelands was launched at historic Abercrombie House.
Mr Groot was joined by Global Energy Solutions director Darryl Leahey, who said the priority was to get a supercharger Tesla station in Bathurst.
The nearest non-Sydney supercharger station is at Goulburn.
“The steps are, one, to get a supercharger station so that Tesla owners can drive up from Sydney, Newcastle, Wollongong, charge their car in Bathurst and visit the Central West,” he said.
“That means we can attract that whole Sydney-Newcastle-Wollongong bracket.
“Second, we’re looking to have individual charge stations at separate businesses. We’re trying to put the main super station at Skillset.
“The next thing is, if we’re going to have electric racing, we’re going to need charge stations at the track. So that’s why we are meeting with the council, for provisions for the electric charge station to be put in at the track.”
Tesla is finalising a deal to have a Tesla safety car at next year’s 6 Hour race in what would be a symbolic shift and Bathurst Community Climate Action Network president Tracy Sorensen said there were also plans afoot for a five-lap e-race on the Mount.
Ms Sorensen said the group had long been in favour of electric vehicle racing at Mount Panorama.
“BCCAN had a stall over three days of the 6 Hour prep and races, with a Tesla on display on the Sunday,” she said.
“We used the opportunity to talk-up the idea of electric powered racing vehicles on the mount.
“This activity, plus a survey running until the end of July, have been supported by a small grant from Skillset’s Spark Tank project.”
Ms Sorensen said plans to install more Tesla charging stations at Bathurst and Lithgow mean “an electric highway through the Central West is beginning to look like a reality”.
Mr Leahey said they had been talking to 6 Hour organiser James O’Brien. He said there was the potential for an electric car race in years to come.
In introducing the charging station at his historic property this month, Abercrombie House owner Christopher Morgan said he was approached by Tesla one year ago to host the unit.