One of the companies responsible for delivering broadband and pay-TV in Australia is turning its sights to electric vehicle infrastructure, with the company's chief executive saying the industry represents the nation's next tech revolution.
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But BSA is also calling on the federal government to be more ambitious with its New Vehicle Efficiency Standard to ensure Australians can access more battery-powered cars and unlock benefits of the technology faster.
The technical services company detailed plans to enter the electric vehicle charging space on Monday after revealing it had signed contracts with EV firms in its half-yearly financial report.
BSA co-chief executive Richard Bartley told AAP the firm had been assessing the electric vehicle industry for 12 months and determined it had massive opportunity for growth in Australia.
While Foxtel reached 40 per cent of households and the NBN's reach hovered around 90 per cent, he said, electric vehicle chargers could ultimately reach all homes.
"Our view is once the cut-over happens from petrol and diesel vehicles to EVs en masse, nearly every household in Australia will have their own charger to charge their individual EV and many people will have more than one," he said.
"At the moment it's peanuts from an economic perspective but the size of the prize is huge and the environmental benefit is huge."
Mr Bartley said demand for in-home chargers would soar when households were allowed to use the batteries in their cars to power their homes, reducing their electricity bills and making the most of solar installations.
"People will start to assess their home energy needs as a one-stop shop: they'll have solar, they'll have a battery, they'll have an EV charger, and they'll be able to charge back from their car into their home," he said.
In a financial statement, BSA revealed it had signed a deal with Evie Networks to install "premium residential" electric car charging solutions.
The company will also target commercial electric vehicle charging installations in large apartment complexes and offices, provide maintenance for existing chargers, and expand the number of points at existing charging stations.
Mr Bartley said the company would also lobby the federal government to introduce a more ambitious fuel-efficiency standard than its preferred option, saying the proposal was "watered down relative to other markets in the world".
BSA co-chief executive Arno Becker said with the right policy settings, and support from larger companies, electric transport could become "the next big thing" in Australia.
"EV sales are up and companies like Woolworths ... that say they'll have electric vehicle delivery trucks will create momentum," he said.
Public electric vehicle charging locations increased by 90 per cent last year, according to figures from consulting firm Next System, and were forecast to double during 2024.
But research from Carbar last week showed the number of public car charging opportunities was still a major hurdle for EV adoption, with more than three in four Australians reporting they did not think there were enough in their local area.
Australian Associated Press
