NOX Energy has received a $1.51 million grant from the Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) to help deliver one of the country’s largest electric vehicle (EV) charging projects for apartment residents.
The $4.78 million initiative, backed by ARENA’s Driving the Nation Program, will see nearly 2,000 Level 1 Intelligent Power Sockets (IPS) installed across 16 apartment buildings nationwide over the next three years. The rollout is designed to make home charging affordable and accessible for people living in strata-titled complexes – a group often left out of Australia’s EV transition.
Breaking Down Barriers for Apartment Living
“Our mission is to democratise access to EVs, and this rollout will transform apartment living for thousands of residents who want to drive electric,” said Charlie Richardson, Chief Operating Officer at NOX Energy.
Unlike Level 2 chargers, the IPS model offers a lower-cost charging option that allows residents to charge their EVs while parked at home. NOX Energy’s system integrates secure access control, measured billing, and smart load balancing, with costs allocated to EV owners through a user-pays model. This ensures non-EV residents do not subsidise charging.
Supporting Renewable Integration
The project will also test innovative charging behaviours in buildings with rooftop solar, encouraging residents to plug in during periods of high solar export. This approach is expected to increase self-consumption and reduce charging costs, while providing valuable insights for the wider industry.
Independent research partners, including the Electric Vehicle Council (EVC), will monitor performance and publish findings to guide policymakers, strata communities, and industry stakeholders.
Backed by ARENA
“NOX Energy’s project is a great example of Australian innovation tackling real-world barriers to electric vehicle adoption,” said Darren Miller, CEO at ARENA. “By supporting low-cost, scalable charging solutions for apartment residents, ARENA is helping to unlock new pathways for decarbonising transport and making EV ownership more accessible to millions of Australians.”
A Step Toward Broader Access
For strata communities, the project demonstrates how charging can be rolled out without complex and costly building upgrades. For EV drivers, it opens the door to convenient overnight charging at home – a critical enabler for broader adoption.
As Wylie Chak, Co-founder and Director at NOX Energy, summed up: “With ARENA’s support, we can begin to break down one of the biggest barriers to EV ownership. For too long, apartment living has had limited access to charging.”
The project marks a significant milestone in making EV charging equitable and scalable for the millions of Australians who live in apartments.
