NSW opens EV destination charging grants program

The NSW Government is taking applications from businesses for its $20 million electric vehicle destination charging grants program. Up to four EV chargers are being funded for each site, in addition to installation and software subscriptions.

The scheme is being used to increase the availability of charging locations for electric vehicles thereby reducing concerns of drivers about range, especially in regional areas of NSW, and to make EVs more attractive.

The grants have a relatively specific set of eligibility criteria: the business must be in an eligible local government area, mustn’t already have more than one EV charger and, importantly, must be of a particular type of destination, such as a hotel, restaurant, amusement park or shopping centre. The chargers are intended to be used by visitors to these sites.

The program is encouraging businesses to install the electric vehicle chargers so as to encourage widespread EV use in place of fossil-fuelled cars. The scheme is touting the potential business upsides of charger infrastructure, noting that it will attract new visitors, who will spend a greater amount of time, and possibly money, at the location.

Businesses are also being informed that the installation of these chargers will literally put them on the map, as drivers will be able to view EV charging stations on dedicated charging websites. Ultimately the grants will hopefully lead to more people using electric vehicles.

Applications for the first round of funding have already opened with a total of $7 million being earmarked for this initial wave of grants with more to follow in the future.

More information about the EV destination charging grants program is available online.

Image credit: ©stock.adobe.com/au/Tomasz Zajda