The New South Wales Government has awarded the first round of electric vehicle (EV) kerbside charging grants as part of the largest rollout of public kerbside EV chargers in Australia.
The New South Wales Government said it is delivering on its election commitment to increase the take up of EVs by investing $4.1 million to install 671 EV charging ports at 391 sites across the state.
This funding will be matched by $8 million in private investment.
The government said EVs are not only driving down the cost of transport for New South Wales households, but they are also helping New South Wales to meet net zero emissions targets.
Expanding the state’s EV charging infrastructure network is expected to give drivers the confidence to hit the road in an EV, knowing they have many options to top up the battery.
The new kerbside EV chargers are set to provide more convenient charging options for drivers without offsite parking, such as those in apartments and busy metro areas.
The kerbside chargers will be installed across 16 Local Government Areas by eight grant recipients:
- Waverley Council
- City of Newcastle
- Evie Networks
- EVSE
- EVX
- Jolt Charge
- Plus ES
- ChargePost
The funding is for chargers ranging from 7KW to 75KW and will include pole mounted, pedestal and kiosk EV chargers that will be installed on kerbsides or in public council car parks.
The government said all chargers will be installed over the next 12 months and will be open to the public 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
The funding is part of the New South Wales Government’s $209 million investment into charging infrastructure. The investment also funds:
- $149 million for EV fast chargers which reduce the time it takes to top up batteries
- $20 million for EV destination charging grants to install ports at regional tourist destinations in New South Wales
- $10 million in EV ready buildings to retrofit EV infrastructure in apartment buildings
The New South Wales Government said it is also committing $260 million to underpin the rollout of an updated New South Wales EV Strategy, which is expected to be released in 2024.
New South Wales Minister for Climate Change and Energy, Penny Sharpe, said, “This investment will significantly increase the availability of public charging options and give people confidence their next vehicle purchase can be an EV.
“Almost 30 per cent of New South Wales drivers do not have access to private, off-street parking to charge an EV. That figure is considerably higher in metro areas.
“We will continue to roll out EV charging grants to further support the New South Wales goal of being the easiest place in Australia to own and drive an electric vehicle,” Ms Sharpe said.
New South Wales Member for Coogee, Marjorie O’Neill, said, “A combined total of $1.2 million will fund 202 charge ports across 138 sites in Sydney’s eastern suburbs.
“We have now well surpassed our key election promise to deliver $700,000 to support EV charging infrastructure in Waverley, Randwick and Woollahra councils,” Ms O’Neill said.
Electric Vehicle Council Chief Executive Officer, Behyad Jafari, said, “We know convenient and visible charging infrastructure in densely populated areas is critical to giving people the confidence to switch to EVs.
“These chargers mean everyone can benefit from EVs, including renters and people who can’t charge at home.
“This investment is important not just for the direct amenity it provides, but also because it serves as a powerful signal to consumers that the New South Wales Government supports your move to a zero-tailpipe emission vehicle when you’re ready to make the switch,” Mr Jafari said.
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