Australia’s Destination New South Wales (NSW) has launched a new marketing campaign, Recharge Here, that promotes electric vehicle (EV)-friendly road trips across the state in support of the sustainable growth of regional visitor economies.
The campaign features nine EV-friendly road trips in Greater Sydney and regional NSW.
Some of these itineraries include Central Coast and Hunter Valley, a U-shaped 257km trip from Newcastle to Maitland; Grand Pacific Drive – a 200km journey along the coastline from Sydney to Jervis Bay; and Greater Blue Mountains Drive, a 283km round trip from Sydney to the Blue Mountains.
The itineraries also identify the locations of EV charging stations along the routes so that drivers can enjoy their journey without range anxiety.
Each road trip has its own webpage, which breaks the itinerary into stages and shows the EV charging options along the route, alongside visitor experience recommendations.
Recharge Here is developed as an extension of Destination NSW’s Feel New brand, and highlights the accessibility of the state’s stunning natural beauty and vibrant cultural experiences through EV infrastructure.
The NSW government is investing A$199 million (US$126 million) to support the installation of thousands of publicly available EV charge ports across the state. This includes ultra-fast charging stations, destination and kerbside chargers.
Funding has been awarded for more than 3,000 charge ports at more than 1100 sites, with many more to come.
Minister for Roads and Tourism John Graham said: “NSW offers world-class road trips along magnificent coastlines, beautiful countryside and stunning alpine ranges. These new EV chargers will mean all drivers can enjoy these epic journeys.
“The installation of EV chargers across regional NSW ensures our regional visitor economies can attract the growing number of EV drivers.”
Minister for Climate Change and Energy Penny Sharpe added: “We are committed to making the state a leader in electric vehicle adoption and sustainable tourism.
“Driving electric is not only better for the environment, but it’s also the most budget-friendly way to hit the road. Lower running costs means EVs offer significant savings for drivers.”
Marketing EV-friendly road trips aligns with a recommendation in the NSW Visitor Economy Strategy review to position NSW as a leader in sustainable tourism through initiatives such as the development and promotion of EV experiences.
