What the bigger Goulburn fast-charging site means for fleet running costs

If your vans or utes travel the Sydney–Canberra route, public fast charging at Goulburn is now easier to plan around, and the prices there are a handy yardstick. The site has grown from 20 to 28 stalls, with charging at up to 300 kW, according to The Driven.

It is now reported as the biggest EV fast-charging site in Australia. More stalls on a busy route mean shorter waits, which matters when a driver is on the clock.

What changed at Goulburn

The expansion adds eight stalls to the existing 20. Prices have also come down:

Tesla owners now pay $0.48 per kWh, down from $0.52.
Other cars now pay $0.68 per kWh, down from $0.73.

Those are the figures reported this week. Prices on public networks can change, so check the current price before you build a budget around it.

Why it matters for a fleet

Most fleet charging should happen at your own depot, overnight, where electricity is cheaper and the vehicle is ready each morning. Our depot charging guide covers how that works.

Public fast charging is the top-up option for trips that go beyond a single charge. A regional run is where it earns its place.

Goulburn gives you a real, published price for that kind of stop. Rather than guessing at a "public charging cost", you can use $0.68 per kWh as a working figure for a vehicle that isn't a Tesla. It is a benchmark, not a promise, and other sites will differ.

Use the price to test one route

You don't need a full fleet model to get value from this. Pick one regular regional trip and work through it.

Find the energy use - take the vehicle's real-world consumption in kWh per 100 km, not the brochure figure. Our real-world range guide explains why the two differ, especially with a load on board.
Work out the energy you'll need to buy - this is the trip's total energy use, minus whatever the vehicle starts with and whatever you can recharge at the depot at each end.
Multiply by the public price - the energy you buy on the road, in kWh, times the price per kWh gives the charging cost for that trip.
Compare it with fuel - set that figure against what the same trip costs in your diesel or petrol vehicle today.
Count the driver's time - a fast-charging stop costs wages while the vehicle sits. Include it, since it can outweigh small differences in price per kWh.

Run that once and you will know whether the regional run is a minor cost or a major one. Treat the result as an estimate, because real consumption varies with load, speed, weather and terrain.

A few cautions before you rely on it

The price is only half the story. Before a regional route goes into your plan, check these points:

Vehicle access - the reported prices are split between Tesla owners and other cars. Confirm that your specific van or ute can use the site, and that the stalls suit a taller vehicle or one with a trailer.
Charging speed - the site offers up to 300 kW, but your vehicle may accept far less. The stop is only as quick as the slowest link. See EV charging time for how this works.
Backup options - a single site is a single point of failure. Know where else you can charge on the route if every stall is busy or offline. Our page on public charging networks is a good place to start.
Driver behaviour - public charging at the higher rate adds up quickly if drivers use it when they could have charged at the depot. A simple rule helps: depot first, public network only when the trip needs it.

What it tells us about the wider picture

A bigger site and lower prices are good signs for businesses on this route. More capacity at one stop reduces the risk of queues, and a published price makes budgeting simpler.

It also reinforces a point we make often. The cost of charging depends heavily on where you charge. A depot with a sensible tariff and managed charging will usually beat the public price. That is why the depot plan comes first and the public network fills the gaps. If you are weighing up the first steps, our fleet electrification overview sets out the order we suggest.

Plan your own route and depot costs

If you run vans or utes and want to know where public charging fits in, start with a free 30-minute fleet consult at evdex.io/fleet-consult. We will talk through your routes, your depot and which vehicles suit which jobs.

You can also run your own numbers with our calculators, including the fleet budget calculator. Eligible rebates may apply, and the incentives page has the current details.

Source: thedriven.io, read 15 November 2026.