Electric vehicles look destined to be the future of transport and with more and more charging stations popping up all over the country it is not just city dwellers who can consider making the switch.

While electric vehicle still represent just a tiny fraction of the car sales market in Australia (just 0.2 per cent of new car sales in 2017), the number and variety of models is growing.

According to the Electric Vehicle Council 2,284 electric vehicles were sold in Australia last year but this represents a 67 per cent increase on the previous year.

And the number of charging stations increased from 476 locations in 2017 to 783 sites in 2018 – representing a 64 per cent increase in just one year.

With electric cars getting cheaper and fuel prices on the rise, more and more people are beginning to look seriously at switching to an electric vehicle.

Orange local Kate Hook owns a Tesla Model X 6-seater, that she uses for her ride sharing/car hire business, Eco Luxe Transfers.

She believes the transition to electric cars will happen faster than you think.

While Orange is slated to soon have its own NRMA Fast Charger, Ms. Hook said that even relying only on her home charging port, she has found life with an electric car much easier when compared to her fuel car.

“I think about all the times over the past 25 years that I have stood shivering in the freezing cold at a petrol station waiting for my car to fill up,” said Ms. Hook. “Now I get home, plug the car in within seconds and the next minute, I’m inside my warm house making a cup of tea.” 

The car is fully charged by morning, she said, and has a range of 540 kilometres on a single charge. Using a fast-charger or the Tesla Supercharger can charge the vehicle 50 per cent in 20 minutes, 80 per cent in 40 minutes or 100 per cent in 75 minutes.

Cars like the Tesla Model X don’t come cheap, but Ms. Hook said over the life of a vehicle that cost is offset by not having fuel costs and fewer mechanical repairs. 

She is also passionate about the environmental benefits of reducing fuel emissions and one of the aims of her business is to help convince other to make the switch to an electric vehicle.

“We want to help people be on the front foot in the transition to electric cars by enabling people to experience and, if desired, own their own electric vehicle sooner,” said Ms. Hook, who can’t stop singing the praises of her Tesla Mark X.

“I am not even a car enthusiast, but I absolutely love driving this electric car,” she said.

“Since there is no engine, it is very quiet, so the stereo sounds incredible, it accelerates like you wouldn’t believe and as it is basically a computer on wheels, everything is controlled via the huge touch-screen or voice commands.”