How far is it from Perth to Margaret River by EV?

The direct route via Kwinana Freeway, Forrest Highway, and Bussell Highway is approximately 270–277 km. Most modern long-range EVs can do the trip with a single charging stop, or no stop at all if you leave Perth fully charged.

Where are the main EV fast chargers between Perth and Margaret River?

The main fast-charging options are in Bunbury (~175 km from Perth), Busselton (~222 km), and Margaret River (~277 km). Bunbury has the WA EV Network 150 kW charger on Cobblestone Drive and a Tesla Supercharger at Eaton Fair. Busselton has a Tesla V3 Supercharger on Prince Street and a Chargefox charger at the foreshore. Margaret River has both a WA EV Network 150 kW charger on Wallcliffe Road and a Tesla Supercharger at the Woolworths car park.

Can I do Perth to Margaret River without stopping to charge?

If your EV has 350+ km real-world highway range and you leave Perth with a full battery, you can reach Margaret River without stopping. Highway speeds of 110 km/h increase consumption noticeably though. Most drivers with 400+ km range EVs like the Tesla Model 3 LR, BYD Seal, or IONIQ 6 can skip a stop. A quick 15–20 minute top-up in Bunbury is still a good idea if you want to arrive with margin to spare.

What happened to the RAC Electric Highway chargers on this route?

RAC WA wound down its Electric Highway program in 2025. The central Mandurah charger at the Boardwalk car park was decommissioned in August 2025. Several other RAC chargers along the route, including Bunbury on Symmons Street, Busselton foreshore, and Margaret River on Wallcliffe Road, were transferred to local councils and continue operating on the Chargefox network.

What connector type do I need for fast chargers on this route?

The WA EV Network chargers use CCS2 (Combined Charging System). Tesla Superchargers at Busselton and Margaret River are open to non-Tesla vehicles via CCS. Check that your car supports CCS2 for DC fast charging before you go. If your car uses CHAdeMO, options on this corridor are limited. Check current availability before leaving.

Route Guide

Perth to Margaret River EV Route Planner: Charging Stops and Timing

Published March 2026

Perth to Margaret River is about 277 km via the Kwinana Freeway, Forrest Highway, and Bussell Highway. It's a manageable trip. I've done it a few times now and it's genuinely one of the less stressful long EV drives in WA. Charging infrastructure along the corridor has improved a lot since 2024, and most modern EVs can get there with one stop or none at all.

Fast charger locations along the route

The WA EV Network, operated by Synergy and run on the Chargefox platform, is the main fast-charging option along this corridor. Tesla Superchargers now cover two of the key stops as well. Here's what you'll find:

Harvey (~140 km from Perth): A Chargefox charger transferred from the old RAC Electric Highway. Useful for smaller-range vehicles needing a mid-point stop. Check availability before relying on it. Council-transferred sites can have inconsistent uptime. Check current chargers in Harvey.
Bunbury (~175 km from Perth): The best charging stop on this route. The WA EV Network site on Cobblestone Drive has a 150 kW and a 75 kW Kempower DC fast charger, both CCS2. The Tesla Supercharger at Eaton Fair has 6 stalls at up to 120 kW. Having two independent networks here means you always have a backup. Check current chargers in Bunbury.
Busselton (~222 km from Perth): Tesla opened a 6-stall V3 Supercharger on Prince Street in September 2025, open to non-Tesla vehicles via CCS. A Chargefox charger also runs at the foreshore, transferred from the old RAC network. Check current chargers in Busselton.
Margaret River (~277 km from Perth): Two fast-charging options at the destination. The WA EV Network charger on Wallcliffe Road (150 kW + 75 kW) and a Tesla Supercharger with 3 stalls at up to 250 kW in the Woolworths car park on Town View Terrace, open 24/7. Check current chargers in Margaret River.

The central Mandurah fast charger at the Boardwalk car park was decommissioned in August 2025 when RAC wound down its Electric Highway program. If you were used to stopping there, that option is gone. The nearest reliable fast charging south of Perth is now Harvey or Bunbury.

How many stops do you need?

It comes down to your vehicle's real-world highway range:

400+ km real-world range (Tesla Model 3 Long Range, BYD Seal, Hyundai IONIQ 6 Long Range): You can reach Margaret River without stopping if you leave Perth fully charged. A 15–20 minute top-up in Bunbury is still worth it. It gets you there with buffer rather than white-knuckling the last 50 km.
250–400 km real-world range (Tesla Model Y Standard Range, MG ZS EV, Kia EV6 Standard Range): One stop in Bunbury is enough. You'll arrive there with 30–50% and top up to 80% in about 20–30 minutes on the 150 kW charger.
Under 250 km real-world range (Nissan Leaf 40 kWh, older MG ZS, Fiat 500e): Plan two stops. Harvey and Bunbury works, or Bunbury and Busselton. Don't skip stops on this range profile. The gaps between towns are short, but arriving on 5% at a destination without a fast charger nearby is not a good situation.

Highway driving at 110 km/h uses a lot more energy than your car's advertised range suggests. Budget 15–20% less than the WLTP figure when planning. Use the journey planner to map stops against your car's actual range and filter by CCS2 compatibility.

What changed when RAC wound down its Electric Highway

RAC WA started the Electric Highway in 2015, back when fewer than 80 EVs were registered in the state. By mid-2025 that number had grown to over 25,000 and RAC closed the program. Most chargers on this corridor transferred to local councils and continue running on the Chargefox network. The one that didn't was the Mandurah Boardwalk charger, which was decommissioned with no replacement in the same spot.

The council-transferred sites at Bunbury, Busselton foreshore, Harvey, and Margaret River are all still active on Chargefox. Some had reliability issues during the handover period. Before committing to a stop at one of these sites, check PlugShare or the Chargefox app for recent check-ins. A single charger that's been offline for two weeks is easy to spot.

Charging strategy for this route

Leave Perth with a full charge. If you're stopping in Bunbury, pull in at around 20–30% and charge to 80%. On the WA EV Network 150 kW charger, that takes roughly 20–25 minutes for most EVs. No need to push to 100% unless the remaining distance to Margaret River makes you uneasy.

Bunbury is the most reliable stop on this route. Two independent networks in the same city means if the WA EV Network charger on Cobblestone Drive has a problem, the Tesla Supercharger at Eaton Fair is a short drive away. I've never had both be unavailable at the same time.

If you're continuing south to Augusta (~315 km from Perth), charge to 80–90% in Margaret River town before leaving. Augusta has a Chargefox charger on Blackwood Avenue, transferred from RAC, but it's a smaller site. Don't arrive there expecting it to save you if you're already very low.

Destination charging in the Margaret River wine region

Some wineries and accommodations in the region have slower AC destination charging, typically 7–22 kW Type 2. Cape Mentelle on Wallcliffe Road, Voyager Estate on Stevens Road, and a few properties around Yallingup have it. These are not fast chargers. They're useful if you're staying overnight and can leave the car plugged in for several hours. Don't count on them for a quick top-up before driving home.

Before heading back to Perth, charge at the WA EV Network or Tesla Supercharger in Margaret River town. Both are easy to find and quick enough that there's no reason to leave on a low battery.