Australia’s 400kW chargers power up ahead of EX60 launch

New ‘ultrafast’ 400kW electric vehicle chargers have officially opened in Sydney, making them the fastest in the country.

The new chargers, at Ampol’s Eastern Creek service centre, mean EV drivers can recharge their batteries from 10-80 per cent in 15-20 minutes. Or add a few hundred kilometres range in less time than it takes to order a coffee and get back in the car.

While there are currently just a handful of 400kW chargers in Australia, higher capacity is becoming the norm around the world as chargepoint operators start to compete with fuel stations.

At the same time, carmakers are building cars capable of taking power more quickly. Volvo Cars’ new EX60 is one such vehicle.

The EX60’s 800v architecture means it can take a maximum charge of up to 370kW, which enables quicker pit-stops to achieve its maximum range, which is the greatest of any Volvo EV to date.

The company’s new manufacturing platform and processes, built specifically for electric vehicles, means the EX60 can therefore add hundreds of kilometres of range in just a few minutes.

Australia powering up

Building out a high-powered public charging network is crucial to fully unlocking the benefits of electric vehicles.

Latest data suggest that there were 1,272 fast public charging sites across Australia by mid 2025, with sites more than doubling in the last three years.

It’s also notable that the newest 400kW chargers in Sydney’s AAA were installed for Ampol, Australia’s largest petrol retailer.

According to industry data, sales of petrol engine cars dropped by around 10 per cent last year, and that decline is steepening. Diesel sales are also in structural decline.

Those dynamics are driving traditional fuel retailers to invest more in higher powered charging infrastructure across their forecourts. Electric vehicles such as the Volvo EX60 are set to accelerate the shift away from fossil fuels, given they promise longer range and better technology at equivalent prices to hybrid vehicles.

That means buyers no longer need to choose between a hybrid and fully electric mid-sized SUV based on price or range anxiety. The new Volvo EX60 arrives in Australia later this year.

Discover Volvo’s “game changer”. Be the first to know more, here.