The NSW Government has announced a further $16.5 million in funding to expand electric vehicle charging and help businesses, councils and not-for-profit organisations transition their fleets to EVs.
The package includes $11.5 million to support eligible organisations purchasing electric vehicles and installing workplace or depot charging infrastructure.
The grants target businesses, non-government organisations and councils operating fleets of at least 21 passenger vehicles, SUVs, vans, utes or small trucks with a gross vehicle mass of up to 4.5 tonnes.
Funding of up to $8,000 will be available for each DC fast-charging port, while organisations can receive up to $2,000 for each AC charging port.
For fleet operators, the funding could help reduce one of the major upfront costs associated with electrification. While vehicle suitability and whole-of-life costs remain central to the business case, access to dependable charging at workplaces and depots is often essential to making the transition operationally viable.
Previous rounds of NSW fleet funding have supported organisations to acquire almost 5,000 electric vehicles and install more than 1,500 chargers.
The remaining $5 million will be offered to charge point operators to install additional kerbside charging infrastructure. Funding of up to $6,000 will be available for each AC port and up to $30,000 for each DC fast-charging port.
The chargers will be installed in streets and car parks across 37 local government areas in Greater Sydney and regional NSW identified as needing additional infrastructure.
Commercial car parks will be eligible for the kerbside charging program for the first time, potentially expanding the range of locations available to drivers without access to charging at home.
All sites funded through the program will be required to use 100 per cent renewable electricity for their ongoing electricity consumption.
“There are now more than 155,000 EVs registered in NSW, reducing the cost of living for drivers and saving more than 200 million litres of fuel a year in NSW,” NSW Minister for Energy Penny Sharpe said.
“This $16.5 million will install more public chargers in places where EV owners need them, while also helping businesses reduce their costs by electrifying their fleets.”
The NSW Government said more than 3,300 chargers across over 1,200 metropolitan, regional and remote locations had received support to date.
The latest funding is particularly relevant to fleets beginning their electrification programs or planning vehicle replacements over the next several years. It gives qualifying organisations an opportunity to develop charging capacity alongside their vehicle acquisitions, rather than treating infrastructure as a separate project after EVs arrive.
