Summary:
The Albanese Government of Australia is taking a significant step towards making electric vehicles (EVs) more accessible to Australians with a new $70 million AUD ($46 million USD) round of grant funding for charging infrastructure.
The funding will be administered through the Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) as part of the government’s broader commitment to cleaner, cheaper transportation.
This investment follows the release of the Albanese Government’s National Electric Vehicle Strategy and aims to address the concerns of range anxiety and upfront costs that have hindered the widespread adoption of EVs in the country.
With the Electric Car Discount lowering EV costs and high global fuel prices, Australian EV sales in the first quarter of 2023 were 2.5 times higher than the same period a year earlier.
The $70 million funding round will facilitate the installation of appropriate charging infrastructure in various locations, making it more accessible to apartment block residents and remote and regional communities.
The initiative is expected to support over ten projects that will help eliminate barriers to public charging and improve charging management.
Australian businesses, local governments, councils, and state and territory-owned corporations can apply for project funding to enhance charging infrastructure in their areas.
Australia & Russia are the only advanced economies without fuel efficiency standards.
Cars sold here emit more pollution that the EU, the USA and NZ, which is bad for climate & our budgets.
We’re changing that, with the launch of Australia’s first National EV Strategy #NEVS pic.twitter.com/BXz3E8AGdK
— Chris Bowen (@Bowenchris) April 19, 2023
The announcement is part of a total funding package of $146.1 million to be delivered by ARENA over the next five years. The package will support business fleets, new technologies for heavy and long-distance vehicles, public charging and hydrogen refueling stations, and innovative charging management.
Climate Change and Energy Minister Bowen Chris emphasized the importance of these grants in making EV chargers as accessible as service stations nationwide. He also highlighted the government’s National Electric Vehicle Charging Network, which aims to provide a charger approximately every 150km on major highways.
Minister Bowen explained that the improved charging infrastructure will give households a real choice when selecting their next car, helping to reduce the significant transport costs in household budgets.
“Australians know that electric and more fuel-efficient vehicles are cleaner and cheaper to run and after less than a year in Government, more Australian households and businesses can access them,” said Bowen.
With this initiative, the Albanese Government is working to catch up on a decade of lacking federal EV policy and ensure that charging infrastructure is available when and where needed.
