Sydney and Newcastle to get hundreds of kerbside and carpark chargers

In a LinkedIn post on Sunday, NSW Minister for Climate Change, Energy, and for the Environment Penny Sharpe revealed that $4.1 million worth of grants will go to EV charging providers to install more than 670 new kerbside ports in 16 local government areas in Sydney and Newcastle.

The new charging infrastructure will be strategically placed in key locations, aiming to ensure that urban drivers benefit from enhanced accessibility to EV charging facilities. This expansion is part of a broader strategy to support the growing number of EVs on NSW roads and reach the state's goals for a 50 per cent reduction in emissions by 2030, and Net Zero by 2050.

“This investment will significantly increase the availability of public charging options and give people confidence their next vehicle purchase can be an EV,” said Minister Sharpe in a statement.

“Almost 30 per cent of NSW drivers do not have access to private, off-street parking to charge an EV. That figure is considerably higher in metro areas.”

“We know convenient and visible charging infrastructure in densely populated areas is critical to giving people the confidence to switch to EVs,” said outgoing Electric Vehicle Council CEO Behyad Jafari.

“These chargers mean everyone can benefit from EVs, including renters and people who can’t charge at home.”

Chargers will range in speed from 7kW up to 75kW, and include “kiosk,” pole-mounted, and pedestal chargers on kerbsides or in council car parks. All will be publicly available and open 24 hours a day, seven days a week, at 391 sites in total.

138 of these will be sited in Eastern Sydney, for a cost of $1.2 million, said NSW Member for Coogee Dr Marjorie O’Neill. The Sydney LGA with the largest single number of chargers is the Inner West with 136 sites .

Kerbside charger funding goes to 16 local government areas

The kerbside charger grants will fund sites in these councils and cities:

• Blacktown City Council
• Burwood Council
• Council of the City of Sydney
• Georges River Council
• Inner West Council
• Ku-ring-gai Council
• Lane Cove Municipal Council
• Liverpool City Council
• Mosman Municipal Council
• City of Newcastle
• North Sydney Council
• Northern Beaches Council
• Randwick City Council
• Waverley Council
• Willoughby City Council
• Woollahra Municipal Council

Recipients of the funding includes:

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​The kerbside EV charger grants are part of the NSW Government’s substantial $209 million investment into building charging infrastructure within the state. This comprehensive investment also includes:

• $149 million allocated for EV fast chargers capable of filling an EV battery in around 15 minutes, dramatically reducing charging times and enhancing convenience for EV owners.
• $20 million dedicated to EV destination charging grants, aimed at installing ports at regional tourist destinations in NSW. This will not only support regional tourism but also encourage EV adoption by ensuring drivers have access to charging facilities in remote areas.
• $10 million earmarked for retrofitting EV infrastructure in apartment buildings, making it easier for residents in multi-unit dwellings to own and charge electric vehicles.

The NSW Government is also committing an additional $260 million to further bolster an updated NSW EV Strategy, set to be released later this year.