Summary
- New South Wales Labor government announced $73.5 million in grants for EV charging infrastructure
- Three new grant programs include fast charging, kerbside charging, and support for businesses to adopt electrification
- $54 million for 140 more public EV fast charging stations, focus on regional areas with pull-through charging bays
- $4.5 million for kerbside charging in areas with limited off-street parking
- $15 million for co-funding to help businesses and local governments purchase EVs, with applications now open for various programs
Article
The New South Wales state Labor government has announced $73.5 million worth of grants to accelerate the rollout of public electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure. Three new grant programs will target the continued rollout of public EV fast charging and kerbside charging infrastructure as well as encourage businesses to embrace electrification. A third round of the state’s EV fast charging grant will offer $54 million to co-fund up to 140 more public EV fast charging stations around New South Wales, with a focus on regional locations. In addition, $4.5 million has been allocated for round 2 of the EV kerbside charging grant program, providing EV charging for areas with limited off-street parking.
The first round of the kerbside charging program saw 671 new EV charging ports approved at 391 sites in Sydney and Newcastle, with the second round expanding to 16 additional local government areas across the state. The remaining $15 million will be allocated as co-funding to help businesses and local governments purchase EVs. The fourth round of the EV fleets incentive program has been updated to offer multiple funding options that support fleet managers at all stages of their electrification strategy, incentivizing the adoption of EVs for businesses and local governments. Previous rounds of the program have already incentivized the registration of 3,400 battery EVs in the state.
The goal of these grant programs is to make New South Wales the best place in Australia to own an EV by co-funding fast charging stations, kerbside chargers, and the adoption of electric fleets. By removing barriers and making EVs more accessible and attractive, the government aims to increase the number of EVs on the road, which is critical to achieving the state’s net zero emissions target. Applications for round 3 of the EV fast charging and round 2 of the EV kerbside charging programs are open until October 3 and December 9 respectively. Applications for round 4 of the EV fleet incentives will open on July 24 and close on September 17, with funding available until exhausted.
The funding programs aim to support the expansion of public EV charging infrastructure, making it easier for motorists to charge their EVs. The focus on regional locations and kerbside charging in areas with limited off-street parking will help cater to the growing number of EV owners. By incentivizing businesses and local governments to adopt EVs in their fleets, the grant programs are contributing to the momentum of creating accessible and efficient charging infrastructure for EVs. The government believes that increasing the number of EVs on the road is essential to achieving its net zero emissions target as part of its climate change and energy strategies.
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