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The photo that shows what it’s REALLY like to have an electric car in Australia – and why the country isn’t ready for it yet
- Photo shows an EV charging cable dangling over the sidewalk, wrapped around a tree
- Ben Fordham said it as ‘an accident waiting to happen’ and raised questions
- The 2GB radio host wondered if garage-less people are ready to own EVs
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A photo of a ‘tangled mess’ of extension cords hanging over a wet public footpath on a drizzly day shows how far Australian electric car drivers have to go to charge their Teslas.
The alarming photo, taken at Millers Point, in Sydney, exposes the potential safety concerns created by electric vehicle charging for some drivers – a problem that will only get worse as ownership increases.
The makeshift charging setup includes a yellow extension cord that hangs from an upstairs balcony, then loops around the branch of a tree and plugs into a power board.
A photo of a ‘tangled mess’ of extension cords hanging over a wet public footpath on a rainy day shows how far electric car drivers have to go to charge their Teslas
Ben Fordham claimed the ‘bizarre’ streetscape raised the question of whether the infrastructure exists for people who don’t have garages or designated parking spaces to get EVs
From there, another cable lies in some bushes and in a gutter before being plugged into the Tesla.
The photo was posted by Ben Fordham of 2GB on his Facebook pagewho described it as a “plate of spaghetti” and argued that makeshift arrangements like this are “an accident waiting to happen.”
Fordham claimed the “bizarre” scene raises the question of whether the infrastructure exists for people who don’t have garages or designated parking spaces to own EVs.
The man who took the photo told Fordham it looked like a scene from a third world country.
‘I was walking down the street to work and couldn’t believe my eyes
Residents told Fordham that the extension cords (pictured) will remain on the road and walkway even if the electric vehicle is not parked there
The radio host said a pattern is emerging of people trying to get involved in the EV ‘revolution’ but facing ‘roadblocks’.
These include people who cannot park on the street to charge their car overnight.
Fordham said scenes like the “bizarre” scene in the photo will become even more common when there are millions of EVs on the road.
Tangled high-voltage power lines from people’s homes – hanging from fences and dangling from trees.
“It’s something you would expect in a third world country.”
Even when charging stations are attached to utility poles, the demand for access would cause problems, Fordham said.
NSW Environment Minister Matt Kean commented on the photo, saying ‘fast charging infrastructure’ would prevent owners from having to take such drastic measures.
Fordham also claimed that the power supply would also be an issue.
He said with coal-fired power plants poised to shut down, the already congested system may not be able to charge millions of EVs at once.
The power cables that charge the electric car extend from the road to the property and run over the front fence
Last week, 2GB listeners sent in photos of the precarious charging setups they’d seen.
In one, an electric car parked on a street in Manly, on Sydney’s northern beaches, was spotted being charged by a long power cord.
The cable ran over the front gate, which winds up a driveway from the road and leads into a house nearby.