Move with an Electric Vehicle (EV)

Electric vehicles (EVs) run using batteries instead of diesel or unleaded petrol and produce no direct greenhouse gas emissions. If 100% renewable electricity is used to recharge the battery, these vehicles have zero on-road emissions.

Even if they use grid electricity in Victoria, their lifecycle emissions are 20% lower than those of an average fossil-fuelled vehicle. This situation will continue to improve as the percentage of renewables feeding into the grid increases. EVs are becoming increasingly common and charging infrastructure continues to increase across the country.

Hybrid vehicles use both batteries and fossil fuel. They are fuelled with diesel or unleaded petrol, but they also have a battery that charges when the vehicle brakes. As a result they are very fuel-efficient, around 4.5 L/100km.

Plug-in hybrid vehicles (PHEVs) also use both batteries and fossil fuel, but their battery can be topped up by plugging into a charger.  PHEVs are a half-way house, but when powered by fossil fuels they can be fuel-inefficient.

EV’s in Merri-bek

Merri-bek is a leader in encouraging the uptake of zero emissions vehicles and the promotion of zero emissions transportation.

Merri-bek City Council installed Victoria’s first EV fast charge station in 2013, has trialled hydrogen vehicles in our fleet, and manages a Council fleet of 28 EVs as well as 6 electric bicycles and one e-cargo bike.

Merri-bek runs a network of 18 publicly available electric vehicle charging stations. These are powered by electricity 100% backed by renewable energy certificates from the Crowlands Wind Farm.

Council provides EV owners with free charging at 15 chargers. Electricity at the remaining 3 fast (DC) chargers is priced at 25c/kWh, which is well below market rate.

Where can I find an EV charging station?

Merri-bek’s EV charging stations are located at:

  • Merri-bek Civic Centre, 90 Bell Street, Coburg (x4)
  • Boundary Road, corner of Boundary Road and Sydney Road, Coburg North (x1)
  • CB Smith Reserve, Jukes Road, Fawkner (x1)
  • Brunswick Mechanics Institute, David Street carpark, Brunswick (x2)
  • Edward St carpark, Edward Street, Brunswick (x4)
  • Oak Park Sports and Aquatic Centre, 563a Pascoe Vale Road, Pascoe Vale (x3)
  • Glenroy Community Hub, Wheatsheaf Rd, Glenroy (x2)
  • Fleming Park, Cross St, Brunswick East (x2)

To use these chargers you need to install the Chargefox app on your phone or have a Chargefox RFID swipe card.

Locations of charging stations can be found by visiting Chargefox or Plugshare.

Electric bike charging

Electric bike recharging is also available at the Merri-bek Civic Centre, 90 Bell Street, Coburg.