They’re now a common site in our public spaces and local car-parks, but how much use do out electric vehicle (EV) charging stations, actually get?

While not all in the city are Orange Council-run, those that are, charge just under a car a day, statistics show with steady, rather than exponentially exploding, use.

With recent national figures also showing that the sale of fully-electric (BEV) cars are plateauing and are now being outstripped by those for plug-in hybrid (PHEV) vehicles; the beloved gas-guzzling internal combustion engine, looks like it’s going to be around for a few more years yet!

This slow, incremental increase of BEV car take-up is more pronounced in the bush, where sales generally lag raw numbers and percentages for metropolitan centres, with factors cited including “range anxiety” and a perceived lack of charging stations.

With the availability of these easily-accessed charging ports cited as a key reason for fear of EV uptake in rural areas, Orange definitely has no concerns in that regard, Mayor, Tony Mileto told Orange City Life.

“We run some in the city, others some are run by other organisations and motoring bodies,” Cr Mileto explained.

“The aim is to support people who have electric vehicles with the switch-over to a low-emissions economy,” he added.

Orange now has plenty of ports for recharging, with others installed by motoring groups and manufacturers, a Council spokesperson revealed.

“There are currently 22 EV charging station locations across the Orange LGA, situated at a mix of accommodation venues, restaurants, wineries, and shopping centres,” the spokesperson said.

“Of these, two fast-charging sites are operated by the NRMA and Tesla… Council administers four EV charging sites,” they added.

These are:

• Lake Canobolas — Dual port 7kW AC unit installed in March 2025;

• Orange Botanic Gardens — Dual port 22kW AC unit installed in December 2024;

• Orange Aquatic Centre — 22kW AC installed in January 2025;

• Orange City Library — Two dual-port 7kW AC chargers installed in March 2025.

The outlets, the spokesperson said, are receiving solid though not spectacular levels of utilisation.

“Usage of Council-operated EV chargers has remained steady since the most-recent installations in March 2025.

“Across the four sites, we’ve recorded an average of 23 charging sessions per month,” the spokesperson said.

For locals still in love with their Ford Falcon XY or Holden Torana XU1 who are wondering what costs ratepayers bear for these futuristic-looking utilities, the answer is, close to nil.

“The installation of Council’s EV chargers was funded through a grant program,” the spokesperson said.

“Ongoing operational costs, including electricity, software licensing, and maintenance, are covered by user-fees associated with each charging session,” they concluded.