Key Points
- Ampol has agreed to buy 100% of Fast Cities Australia, the owner of Evie Networks, for $225 million.
- The deal adds more than 1,030 charging bays, taking the combined network to about 1,425 bays across more than 400 sites.
- The acquisition needs ACCC clearance and is expected to complete in the first half of 2027.
Ampol has agreed to buy Evie Networks, one of Australia's largest public EV fast charging networks, for $225 million. The fuel retailer announced the deal on 1 October 2026 through its subsidiary Ampol Energy Pty Ltd.
If approved, the deal will merge Evie with Ampol's own AmpCharge network. Ampol expects the combined platform to have about 1,425 charging bays across more than 400 sites. That would place it among the largest DC fast charging networks in the country by locations.
The Deal at a Glance
Ampol Energy has signed a share sale agreement to acquire 100% of Fast Cities Australia Pty Ltd, which trades as Evie Networks. The purchase price is $225 million.
Ampol and Evie Networks Deal Summary
Detail | Information |
Buyer | Ampol Energy Pty Ltd (subsidiary of Ampol Limited, ASX: ALD) |
Target | Fast Cities Australia Pty Ltd (Evie Networks) |
Stake | 100% |
Purchase price | $225 million |
Bays added | More than 1,030 |
Combined network | About 1,425 bays across more than 400 sites |
Approval needed | ACCC clearance |
Expected completion | First half of 2027 |
Until the ACCC clears the deal and it completes, Ampol and Evie will keep operating as separate businesses.
How Big the Combined Network Will Be
Evie brings more than 1,030 charging bays to the deal. Ampol says the combined AmpCharge and Evie network will total about 1,425 bays. That implies AmpCharge currently has roughly 395 bays of its own.
By site count, Evie was reported in July 2026 to operate more than 1,000 fast chargers across 340 locations. AmpCharge had more than 90 DC sites as of mid-2026. Ampol says the merged network will span more than 400 sites. Ampol has not published a site-by-site breakdown, and some Evie chargers already sit at Ampol service stations.
AmpCharge and Evie Networks Combined
Network | Charging bays | Sites |
AmpCharge (Ampol) | About 395 (implied) | 90+ |
Evie Networks | 1,030+ | About 340 |
Combined (on completion) | About 1,425 | 400+ |
How It Ranks Against Other DC Fast Charging Networks
Australia does not have a single official register of fast charging sites by operator. The figures below come from the most recent public counts available, and some are more than a year old. Treat the rankings as approximate.
Largest DC Fast Charging Networks in Australia by Locations
Rank | Network | DC fast charging sites | Source and date |
1 | Chargefox (incl. NRMA and motoring club sites) | About 400 to 423 | carloop mid-2025; industry guides Sep 2026 |
2 | Exploren | About 403 | carloop mid-2025 (includes former ENGIE network) |
3 | Ampol + Evie (combined) | 400+ | Ampol, Oct 2026 |
4 | Evie Networks (standalone) | About 340 | Evie, Jul 2026 |
5 | Tesla Supercharger | About 155 | Supercharge.info, Jun 2026 |
6 | Jolt | About 98 | carloop mid-2025 |
7 | AmpCharge (standalone) | 90+ | Ampol, Jun 2026 |
8 | bp pulse | About 70 | carloop mid-2025 |
n locations, the combined Ampol and Evie network would sit in a close group with Chargefox and Exploren at around 400 sites each. The gap between them is small enough that the order could change as each operator adds sites.
On charging bays, the picture is different. Tesla passed 1,000 Supercharger stalls in Australia in June 2026. At about 1,425 bays, the combined Ampol and Evie network would be larger than Tesla's by bay count. Comparable bay totals for Chargefox and Exploren are not publicly available.
Why Ampol Is Buying Evie
Ampol CEO and Managing Director Matt Halliday said the deal positions the company to capture growth as EV uptake and charging demand rise. He described EV charging as a matter of investing with discipline at the right time, based on customer behaviour, site economics and grid connections.
Halliday pointed to Evie's well-located sites, long-term site tenure and established grid connections. He said some sites also have room to expand. Ampol says this gives it a way to grow its charging footprint faster than building from scratch.
Ampol also cited growth inside its own network. In the first half of 2026, AmpCharge charging sessions rose 116% year on year. Energy supplied rose 120% over the same period. Halliday said these results give the company confidence in charging as a business alongside fuel.
The timing coincides with stronger EV sales. Ampol noted that EVs have made up more than 20% of new car sales in Australia on average over the past five months.
Halliday said public charging is a precondition for broad EV adoption, particularly given Australia's long distances. He also said many households have no practical way to charge at home. Public charging is also needed by commercial fleets, rideshare drivers and people travelling long distances, he said.
About Evie Networks
Evie Networks is the trading name of Fast Cities Australia. Its principal shareholder is energy investor Trevor St Baker AO. Halliday credited St Baker as a pioneer of Australia's EV charging industry.
Evie began with an ARENA-backed plan for a national backbone of at least 42 ultra-fast sites along major highways. Each site was designed with at least two 350kW chargers, spaced roughly 150km apart. The network has since expanded into shopping centres, fast food outlets and supermarkets.
In July 2026, Evie partnered with Coles to install fast DC chargers at up to 30 supermarkets over two years. Around the same time, Evie was reported to be seeking an investor to buy the business. This week's announcement confirms Ampol as the buyer.
Ampol and Evie Have Worked Together Before
This is not the first link between the two companies. In 2020, Ampol and Evie opened Ampol's first ultra-fast charging site at Avenel in Victoria, using two 350kW chargers. The partnership covered six Ampol sites in NSW and Victoria.
Ampol launched its own AmpCharge brand in 2022 with five pilot sites. It initially aimed for 120 sites by October 2023, but the rollout ran behind schedule. Argus Media reported in 2025 that Ampol delivered 315 bays against a target of 450 across Australia and New Zealand by 2024. It has since set a target of 500 bays in Australia by 2027.
Buying Evie would take Ampol well past that 500-bay target, subject to approval.
What Happens Next
The deal must be cleared by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission. Ampol expects it to complete in the first half of 2027.
Until then, Evie and AmpCharge will run independently. Ampol has not said whether the Evie brand, app or pricing will change after completion. For now, Evie drivers should see no change to how they charge.
About the author
Danny is a consultant and entrepreneur working at the cutting edge of the electric vehicle and energy transition. He is passionate about educating and helping consumers make better decisions through data.
