Unlock Sustainable
e-Mobility for your building

MEDIA RELEASE

Ohmie GO has become the first electric-mobility and technology start-up to become a member of the Green Building Council of Australia (GBCA), the peak body for sustainable buildings and communities.

The GBCA is a member-based organisation and its purpose is to lead the sustainable transformation of the built environment. GBCA provides guidance and education on sustainable developments, building and designs and rates the sustainability of buildings, fitouts and communities through Australia’s largest national, voluntary, holistic rating system – Green Star.

Ohmie GO Founder and CEO Kyle Bolto says the GBCA were a “natural fit” for their business, which is disrupting the transport and property industry, by changing the relationship between buildings and mobility. Ohmie GO are installing electric-mobility hubs in developments across Australia, providing tenant-only access to EVs, micro-mobility and EV charging, all in one seamless app.

GBCA and Ohmie GO

“Joining the GBCA is a perfect brand alignment for us, as we’re truly passionate about transforming the way we move around our cities, providing greater access to sustainable mobility so no one gets left behind,” said Kyle.

GBCA CEO Davina Rooney said it made sense for businesses to “walk the path of decarbonisation together”.

“Our expectations of the built environment have grown alongside the current health and climate challenges and businesses are increasingly seeking places that are healthy for people and the planet. Electric-mobility and building infrastructure that supports it are part of that future,” said Davina Rooney.

As the leading authority on building sustainability, GBCA has also founded its own Green Star rating system used by developers across Australia as an internationally-recognised sustainability rating and certification system.

“We work with some of Australia’s biggest and most well-known developers who have been awarded Green Star ratings from GBCA, and have Ohmie GO e-mobility vehicles in their buildings, as a part of their sustainability targets,” said Kyle.

“It’s wonderful to be part of the GBCA member portfolio now, as we’ve been committed to this mission for quite some time,” said Kyle.

The GBCA is comprised of approximately 650 member companies which include over 400 small-to-medium enterprises, 81 companies with annual turnover of more than $100 million and 33 companies now listed in the ASX200.

Likewise, its membership base includes major developers, professional services firms, banks, superannuation funds, product manufacturers, retailers, utilities, suppliers, educational institutions, local government and, now, an e-mobility and technology company.

“Ohmie GO is helping investors and businesses meet community expectations and ESG ambitions and GBCA is delighted to engage with diverse members, like Ohmie GO, to drive a healthier, more sustainable future forward,” said Davina.

“If our industries are going to eliminate fossil fuels, tackle climate change, and ensure a healthy Australia for future generations, the decade of decarbonisation - for buildings, mobility and beyond – is now, and collaboration is key to making that happen,” said Kyle.

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Media Contact: press@ohmiego.com

MEDIA RELEASE

Ohmie GO has officially partnered with Melbourne-based developers ICD Property on Aspire Melbourne to provide sustainable shared electric-mobility to residents of the 65-storey tower in Melbourne CBD.

The partnership comes off the back of rising fuel prices and record-breaking inflation driving a desire by apartment residents for cost-effective and sustainable amenities.

Rolling out Ohmie GO within Aspire Melbourne marks the second partnership between the two groups after Ohmie GO piloted at ICD Property’s Eq Tower in 2019 with the rollout of two shared Hyundai Kona electric vehicles.

Using the Ohmie GO app, residents are able to securely book an electric vehicle for as low as $16.50 an hour, with Ohmie GO managing the service end-to-end including maintenance, cleaning, insurance, billing, on-demand support, and sustainability reporting. Presenting a modern solution for apartment residents looking to save money whilst not losing out on the lifestyle and convenience of owning a car.

Looking at data from the Motoring Associations of Australia, car ownership in Australia averages $10,000 - $15,000 per annum, with this figure looking to rise in the future with petrol, maintenance, and insurance all facing price hikes. Further research shows, a typical private car sits idle for up to 96% of its lifetime with increased work/study-from-home conditions exacerbating this figure.

For residents of Aspire Melbourne, the offering of Ohmie GO means not needing to spend a dime on fuel, car servicing, or forking out the $40,000 - $120,000 typically charged to purchase a car park within a residential building in Melbourne CBD.

“At ICD Property, we are always focused on delivering amenities to our residents that improve their quality of life. We are also acutely aware of the property industry’s responsibility to move towards greener practices, which we are constantly trying to evolve within our own developments. Ohmie GO marries these two values, providing a highly useful amenity to our residents that will improve their lifestyle, save money, and also push for more sustainable outcomes in our industry. Not to mention helps lower overall greenhouse gases and traffic congestion in our cities,” says ICD Property’s CEO Matt Khoo.

“ICD Property first met with Ohmie GO in 2019, recognising their unique cornerstone in the market of private sustainable transport and offered our Eq. Tower residential development as an opportunity to test-drive their product, piloting their first ever residential shared electric vehicle service. It is amazing to work with them again now years later, seeing how their business has grown and gotten even better and more beneficial to developers and residents,” continued Khoo.

Other green initiatives ICD Property has implemented across their development portfolio include the design of South Australia’s greenest office tower within their Market Square precinct. The 7-storey 20,000sqm office tower boasts an all-electric build, 6-star Green Star and 5 and 1⁄2-star NABERs credentials, rooftop solar, and award-winning waste management system.

“Since 2016, we’ve been harnessing the latest technology to drive sustainable outcomes for the built form. We recognised early on that one of the significant looming challenges was how does the built form handle the transition into e-Mobility. We’re now working with some of the most forward-thinking players in the property industry, positively impacting buildings, residents, and the planet,” says Ohmie GO CEO Kyle Bolto.

One Queensland building that has partnered with Ohmie GO has already reported offsetting over three tonnes of CO2 emissions within a single month. Empowering residents to choose a greener mode of transport whilst still accessing premium car vehicles and simultaneously saving money.

Ohmie GO is continuing to expand their solution across residential and commercial buildings, including the build to rent space, appealing to financially savvy buyers, as well as the aged-care, retirement, hotel and downsizer communities who benefit from access to a private car without the responsibility of 24/7 ownership.

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Media Contact: press@ohmiego.com

The end of the fuel excise discount on October 1 signals an immediate need for the re-examination of car ownership and petrol vehicles. With prices set to increase significantly, in line with those seen prior to the excise discount, many are concerned at the rising costs of living. 

Despite this, the Albanese government’s reintroduction of the full excise presents Australians with an opportunity to reassess private vehicle ownership and its cost economically and environmentally. ‍

Car ownership as a concept

Traditional car ownership is undergoing radical transformation at present, with mobility solutions and community e-vehicle startups disrupting the car market. Consumers are slowly turning to EVs and ownership models which save on maintenance, petrol and insurance costs whilst also reducing emissions. However, the transition is not fast enough. 

Despite the fallout of the Ukraine war surrounding fuel supplies and prices, the use of petrol cars remains the dominant choice for consumers. ABS data shows that Australia has over 20M registered vehicles on the road, with over 92 percent of households owning a car. 

Petrol vehicles were the largest group by fuel type, representing over 71 percent of vehicles, and electric vehicles accounted for just 1.57 percent.  Furthermore, an 2021 analysis of car ownership by insight’s agency ID, has revealed that 53 percent of households in Australia have access to two or more motor vehicles. However, most of these vehicles typically sit idle for 95 percent of the day and cost the average Australian family $22,000 per year.

And it isn’t just the economy which is impacted by car ownership, car pollution is one of the major causes of global warming, with the oil and gas industry representing 45% of anthropogenic GHG emissions. With the cost of living increasing, climate change worsening and petrol costs rising, why are we stuck on a model which is detrimental to the planet and our finances?  

The future of shared e-mobility  

Petrol cars and household ownership cannot remain with the climate and global economic market as they are. In fact, the Electric Vehicle Council recently announced that Australia should follow suit with the UK and EU by banning the sale of petrol and diesel cars by 2035. Though this has been labelled extreme, widespread disruption to the petrol car market is not a question of ‘if’, but when. 

As urban environmental planners and developers move to greener and more sustainable models, greater options are arising surrounding car ownership. Businesses, such as ours, are pushing for more residential and commercial buildings to provide electric vehicles, scooters and bikes on demand, and for the concept of car ownership to change altogether. 

Mobility solutions and startups which provide electric vehicles on demand are, undoubtedly, the way of the future. However, innovation in this space needs greater support from businesses, governments and consumers. Likewise, regional communities must not be forgotten in the move towards e-mobility. 

The excise discount ending in October signals the urgent need for petrol car ownership to end, in order for our cities and regions to exist in a more sustainable and economically viable way.