Regional Aus to get major EV charging boost
Federal government to invest $40m in electric vehicle charging infrastructure across urban and regional townsThe News
The Federal Government has committed $40 million over the next four years in the 2026 Federal Budget to accelerate the rollout of kerbside and regional EV charging infrastructure across Australia as uptake of electrified vehicles continues to soar.
The Key Details
- Government will invest $40m in new regional and kerbside EV chargers
- Funding spread across the next four years
- Additional $15.4m allocated to EV dealership and repairer support
- Australia has around 45 EVs for every public charger
The Finer Details
Expected to fast-track the installation of new charging stations in regional areas – as well as introducing more urban kerbside locations for those without access to off-street parking – the investment should vastly improve Australia’s dire public charging situation.
The announcement comes amid continued growth of electrified vehicles – EVs accounted for 16.4 per cent of new-car deliveries in April this year, while almost one-in-three new cars sold last month was a hybrid or plug-in hybrid (PHEV).
Beyond the charging infrastructure rollout, Tuesday night’s Federal Budget also included $15.4 million over the same period to extend the ‘Dealership and Repairer Initiative for Vehicle Electrification Nationally’ program.
The funding is designed to support dealerships and repairers adapt to electrified vehicles through training, equipment and workshop infrastructure.
Elsewhere, the Electric Car Discount has been extended, a perk that was expected to be axed.
The Road Ahead
The funding is forecast to help address one of the biggest barriers to broader EV adoption in Australia: accessible and reliable charging solutions outside of major urban areas.
It’s something vehicle manufacturers are increasingly spruiking, with BYD promising new 1000kW ‘flash charging’ stations will land Down Under before the year’s end, while Tesla’s Supercharger network has been around for more than a decade, with around two-thirds of the network now able to charge non-Tesla EVs.
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