Charge the car – Smart Pole installed

Published on 14 March 2019

Blacktown City Council has begun the roll out of ‘Smart’ poles across the city giving the owners and operators of electric vehicles a ‘free charge’.

The smart poles, or Smart.Nodes, will provide electric vehicle charging facilities and other ‘smart’ functions. Blacktown City Council will be the first fully connected council in Australia to install roadside charging stations of this type.

The first Smart.Node charging station has been installed in Campbell Street, Blacktown between Blacktown Workers and Bowman Hall.

Drivers of electric vehicles can simply pull-up, use the app on their smart phone, connect and charge for free.

Blacktown City Deputy Mayor, Cr Tony Bleasdale watched the installation of the Smart.Node in Campbell St; “Council is encouraging the use of electric vehicles both with its own extensive fleet and also for local businesses and residents.

“Council already has a number of charging stations for its own vehicles but now we are putting our green policies into practice and making electric vehicle charging stations available for free.” Councillor Bleasdale said.

The charging unit is encased in an innovative light pole that can also house Smart-controlled LED lighting, public Wi-Fi, CCTV, mobile phone communication links, USB charging, digital signage and electronic sensors.

Council has teamed up with ENE.HUB to roll out a total of ten of the Smart.Node poles throughout Blacktown City with four charging stations being installed in the next couple of weeks near the Hub at Mount Druitt, Sentry Drive Stanhope Gardens, Riverbank Drive in The Ponds and on The Ponds Boulevard in Kellyville Ridge.

There are plans to install the remaining five Smart.Node charging stations over the next 12-months at key locations across Blacktown City.

Photo: ENE.HUB CEO Robert Matchett with Blacktown City Deputy Mayor Cr Tony Bleasdale.