The NSW Government is launching $10 million in grants to retrofit more than 100 apartment buildings with the technology to enable electric vehicle (EV) charging stations.
The EV Ready Buildings grants program will help eligible strata buildings with at least 10 apartments to install EV charging infrastructure in a common area.
New South Wales is the first state in Australia to co-fund apartment building EV infrastructure upgrades. More than 90% of EV owners charge their vehicles at home. The NSW Government recognises the importance of investing in infrastructure for people who live in apartments and others without access to home charging, so they can still take advantage of the cost savings from owning an EV.
The grant is part of the NSW Government’s commitment to rolling out charging infrastructure. $260 million has been committed in the 2023–24 NSW Budget to increase electric vehicle uptake and help the state reach its net zero target.
Existing buildings will be retrofitted with the electrical infrastructure required to connect the supply equipment needed to charge a vehicle.
The grant program is open to strata buildings across metropolitan and regional New South Wales. It will co-fund up to 80% of the cost of each building upgrade, to a maximum of $80,000. It will also support the purchase and installation of up to 4 shared-use chargers in visitor parking spots.
The grants process has 2 stages. The first includes a preliminary building assessment to determine the best approach to making it EV ready. Successful applicants will then be invited to apply for stage 2, which will co-fund the infrastructure upgrade.
Applications can be made through the online Grant Management System, SmartyGrants.
Quote attributable to Minister for Energy Penny Sharpe:
“In a national first, New South Wales is co-funding EV infrastructure upgrades in apartment buildings, to make EV ownership attractive for more people.
“More than 90% of EV drivers charge their vehicle at home, and we don’t want people living in apartments to miss out.
“The NSW Government is committed to increasing the uptake of electric vehicles, by improving access to infrastructure. We’re investing $260 million in the 2023–24 NSW Budget, to cover programs including fast chargers on commuter routes, more kerbside chargers near apartment blocks and upgraded grid capacity and charging hubs to support fleets.”
