SYDNEY, Sept. 4 (Xinhua) -- A new electric vehicle charging station has opened along Australia's renowned Great Ocean Road on Wednesday, at the famous surf town of Torquay.
Known for hosting the World Surf League event at Bells Beach, the laid back Victorian State community is a hub for domestic travelers and international tourists.
While Australia has mostly lagged behind the rest of the world when it comes to the uptake of electric cars, Victorian Minister for Energy, Environment and Climate Change Lily D'Ambrosio said she expects that will soon change.
"More Victorians will be driving electric vehicles in the future, that's why we're building the infrastructure to be ready to meet this demand," she said.
"More of these charging stations will boost tourism, reduce carbon emissions and help us build a cleaner, more sustainable future."
Developed by Chargefox, the station will include two ultra-rapid (350 kilowatts) and two fast (50 kilowatts) chargers that can charge four electric vehicles at the same time.
Powered by 100 percent renewable energy and able to fully charge a car in under 15 minutes with a range of 400 km, the site will be the fastest charging station located anywhere in Australia.
"This world-leading technology in Torquay will help to encourage the uptake of electric vehicles and ensure tourists and locals alike can enjoy one of the world's most scenic drives using renewable energy," Chargefox chief executive Marty Andrews said.
Although there were 1.1 million electric vehicles sold around the world last year, only 2,216 of them were purchased in Down Under.
Hoping to increase that figure, the state government has invested 3 million Australian dollars (2.03 million U.S. dollars) so far, with the Torquay site now joining three other electric charging stations at Airport West, Euroa and Barnawartha North that are already open to the public.
It's also expected that three additional stations will also open in regional areas before the end of this year.
