Crossing Oceans : What Ohme ’ s Expansion Means for EV Charging in Australia
WORDS BY ANTONINA JOSON
Australia ’ s electric vehicle ( EV ) landscape is evolving rapidly , driven by policy incentives , increasing demand , and a focus on sustainability . As part of this shift , UKbased EV charging company Ohme entered the Australian market in mid 2024 and has ambitious expansion plans for 2025 . But what does this mean for fleets navigating the transition to EVs ?
AfMA spoke with Peter McDonald , Ohme ’ s Mobility Director , to explore the opportunities and challenges of bringing smart charging solutions to Australia and how their experience in Europe might help them shape EV charging in Australia .
Bridging Two Markets : The UK and Australia
While Australia and the UK share similarities in vehicle usage patterns — especially in capital cities — their geographic and energy landscapes differ significantly .
“ Australia is a ‘ tyranny of distance ,’” Peter remarked . “ I grew up in Australia , so I completely understand that [ the ] geography and the distance between places which makes [ driving ] electric vehicles a little bit harder .”
For EV drivers , range anxiety is a common foe , especially for those who travel long distances or live farther away from the city centre . It ’ s worse for drivers who don ’ t have the luxury of multiple charging ports on their routes or in their homes . Home-charging can be expensive , depending on where you live and how your energy provider prices your electricity .
Peter believes Australia presents strong potential for smart charging solutions . “ We also know that there ’ s a really good FBT and tax regime [ in Australia ] that incentivised drivers to switched to EV ,” he explained . “ Negative energy pricing , heavy use of renewable energy , availability of renewable energy , which the consumer ’ s going to gain at a micro or macro level — we see that as a good condition .”
The presence of global original equipment manufacturers ( OEMs )— particularly from China , Japan , and Korea — has also contributed to market growth .
8 ISSUE 51 FEBRUARY 2025 / WWW . AFMA . ORG . AU