The pop-up unit is the first of 10 charging posts being piloted in Port Phillip, allowing electric vehicle drivers without a garage to charge on the street.

The "roadside charging" device was invented by Rod Walker, a 68-year-old accountant from Williamstown, and is now in use after a series of tests and approvals.

The charging post is enclosed, flood-proof and approved by Energy Safety Victoria. When not in use, the charging post is lowered to be flush with the sidewalk.

Resident Kevin said he didn't want to move just to have a garage, so an accessible home charger was a solution.

The charger, which has a charging cable buried underground and connected to the household power supply, cost about A$6,000 to install, but Mr. Walker estimates that it is likely to pay for itself in three years, depending on usage.

Walker said he wanted to do something for the environment and identified a gap in the car charging market.

The invention is the result of Walker's four-year effort in the shed, the report said.

In response, Port Phillip Mayor Marcus Pearl said the council wants to provide a network of electric vehicle chargers on public lands to support the use of electric vehicles.

He said, "About 11 percent of our community's carbon emissions come from transportation, which emits 327,926 tons of carbon dioxide annually. As a city by the bay, we're vulnerable to climate change, so we're keen to do what we can to help reduce our fossil fuel use."

It is understood that residents must also pay a permit fee of $124 plus an annual fee of $100.