Proposed changes to strata laws in NSW could make it easier for apartment residents to install electric vehicle chargers, but industry experts are warning that removing approval barriers is only one part of the transition to widespread EV charging.
The reforms come as organisations continue to identify capital costs, skills shortages and regulatory complexity as major barriers to investment in energy infrastructure.
Schneider Electric’s 2026 Energy Tech Pulse Survey found 56% of business leaders nominated upfront capital costs as the biggest obstacle to adopting advanced energy and infrastructure technologies.
A further 33% cited internal capability and skills shortages, while 30% identified regulatory and permitting complexity.
These challenges are becoming increasingly relevant as businesses, fleets, property owners and strata communities prepare for higher levels of vehicle electrification.
Right to Charge reforms could simplify approvals
The proposed NSW Right to Charge reforms, currently before the NSW Legislative Council, are designed to make it easier for apartment owners and residents to gain approval for EV charging infrastructure.
The changes are expected to reduce some of the regulatory hurdles that have slowed EV charger installations in strata properties.
This could become increasingly important as the number of electric vehicles on Australian roads continues to grow, with more than 410,000 EVs now operating nationally.
However, easier access to approvals does not necessarily mean every apartment building is ready to support widespread EV charging.
Many existing buildings were designed before electric vehicles became a significant consideration and may have limited spare electrical capacity.
As more chargers are installed, buildings will need to manage vehicle charging alongside other electrical loads including lifts, air conditioning, lighting and common-area infrastructure.
Planning beyond the first charger
Tim Pratt, Vice President, Power Products, Pacific Zone at Schneider Electric, said the proposed reforms were an important step towards improving access to home charging.
“The reforms are a positive step because they remove a significant barrier for apartment residents who want to charge at home,” Pratt said.
“But the right to install a charger is only part of the equation. Safe, efficient and future-proofed charging depends on the right infrastructure and the right expertise.”
For property owners, fleet operators and businesses providing employee or residential charging, the challenge will increasingly be to plan for future demand rather than simply installing chargers as individual requests arise.
Dynamic load management, energy monitoring and staged electrical infrastructure can allow multiple chargers to operate without exceeding the capacity of the building’s electricity supply.
These systems can also reduce or delay the need for expensive network and switchboard upgrades.
Pratt said strata committees should take a longer-term view of their charging requirements.
“We cannot approach apartment EV charging as a series of one-off installations,” he said.
“A single charger may solve today’s problem, but buildings need infrastructure that can support dozens more as demand grows.”
EV charging becoming a property infrastructure issue
The increasing adoption of electric vehicles is also changing the way organisations need to think about parking facilities.
For fleets, workplaces and mixed-use developments, charging infrastructure is increasingly becoming part of long-term property and energy planning rather than simply a vehicle procurement decision.
That means organisations considering fleet electrification may need to involve property, facilities, finance and energy teams much earlier in the transition.
Andrew Hardingham, Managing Director at Electrify EV, a Schneider Electric EcoXpert partner involved in residential and strata charging projects, said understanding a building’s existing electrical infrastructure was critical.
“The reforms will significantly improve access to charging for apartment residents, but successful projects still depend on understanding a building’s electrical infrastructure and planning for future demand,” Hardingham said.
“As more residents adopt EVs, buildings need infrastructure that can accommodate more chargers safely and efficiently.”
He said energy monitoring and busway-based electrical distribution were among the technologies that could make future charger expansion easier.
For organisations planning an EV transition, the message is similar to fleet replacement planning: consider the end state before making the first investment.
Removing regulatory barriers may make it easier to install chargers, but ensuring the electrical infrastructure can support growing demand will determine whether those installations remain practical as EV numbers increase.
