NRMA’s New Emergency EV Top-Up Service: Handy Lifeline, Not a Holiday Plan

A Christmas road-trip reminder from Tynan Motors

The Christmas holidays are peak road-trip season — and with more Aussies travelling in electric vehicles, it’s worth knowing what happens if your battery hits zero mid-trip.

NRMA has rolled out a new mobile top-up charging service for stranded EV drivers in Sydney and Canberra, giving members a small emergency boost to help them reach the nearest charger. 

Great news? Absolutely. But it comes with a big festive-season warning: you don’t want to rely on this to save your holiday drive.

What NRMA Has Introduced (And How It Works)

NRMA has fitted two patrol vans with 4.8kWh lithium-ion battery packs that can provide a slow “booster” charge roadside.

The basics:

• Adds about 1km of range every 2 minutes of charging.
• A 10-minute top-up = roughly 5km of driving range — enough to limp to a charger or home.
• It’s part of NRMA Roadside Assistance for members only, at no extra cost compared to petrol/diesel plans.
• NRMA members also get access to a growing fast-charger network.

The Christmas Catch: Coverage Is Still Limited

Here’s the key point for holiday travellers: there are only two mobile-charging patrol vans in operation right now, serving Sydney and Canberra.

So yes — help exists if you’re caught short… …but you’d better be close to home, work, or a major metro corridor. If you’re out on the highway or touring regional NSW, that small top-up may not be available quickly — and even if it is, 5km of range won’t get you far without a charging stop nearby.

NRMA has said the service is expected to expand across NSW over time, but for this Christmas break, it’s still a metro-focused safety net.

Why You Still Need to Plan Your Charging Stops

Think of this service like roadside assistance bringing you a small jerry can of fuel. Helpful, but not something you ever want to need. The top-up chargers provide a slow AC charge, so they’re designed purely for emergencies.

Holiday reality check:

• Regional chargers can be farther apart
• Some locations get busy or queued in peak season
• Detours, heat, roof racks, and full cars can reduce real-world range

Bottom line: plan to stop and charge before you’re low, not after you’re stranded.

Tynan Motors’ EV Road-Trip Tips for the Festive Season

If you’re heading away in a full electric vehicle this Christmas:

1. Map your charging stops early. Don’t “wing it” in holiday traffic. Pick your stops before you leave.

2. Don’t run the battery down to the last few per cent. Aim to charge when you’re around 20–30% remaining, especially on highways.

3. Factor in holiday conditions. Extra luggage, passengers, hot weather and higher speeds all use more energy.

4. Take a break when your car does. Charging stops are a perfect chance to swap drivers, rehydrate, and fight fatigue.

5. Get your EV checked before you go. Tyres, brakes, battery health, software updates — they all matter, and they all affect range. Pop into Tynan Motors for a pre-trip check so you can travel with confidence.

A Handy Lifeline — But Let’s Keep It a Backup

NRMA’s new mobile top-up charging is a smart step forward for EV drivers, especially as adoption grows. 

But this Christmas, the best safety feature you’ve got is still the simplest one: plan ahead, stop early, and charge before you’re caught short.

From everyone at Tynan Motors, drive safe, charge smart, and enjoy a stress-free holiday break with the people who matter most. 🎄⚡🚗