NSW adds $16.5 million for kerbside EV chargers and fleet electrification

NSW adds more funding for chargers and fleets

The NSW Government has announced a further $16.5 million to expand electric vehicle charging infrastructure and help organisations switch fleets to electric. Published on 19 September 2026, the ministerial release says the Minns Labor Government is backing record EV uptake by co-investing in more kerbside chargers and providing support for fleet electrification. Energy NSW describes the Electric Vehicle Kerbside Charging Program as a scheme for public EV charging where drivers have limited access to private off-street parking. ¹²

Kerbside grant round, eligibility and funding caps

The kerbside component provides $5 million in co-funding for charge point operators to install public EV chargers in 37 eligible Local Government Areas across Greater Sydney and regional NSW. The state says round 3 is open and closes on 21 December 2026 at 5 pm AEDT, with eligible applicants able to apply for up to $1 million in co-funding. The government contribution must not exceed 80 per cent of eligible installation and equipment costs, and the grant caps are listed as $3,000 for a 7kW AC charger, $6,000 for a 22kW AC charger and $30,000 for a DC charger of 24kW and above. ¹⁴

NSW says the sites can be installed in car parks and on streets, and commercial car parks are eligible for the first time in this round. All charging sites funded under the program must source 100 per cent renewable electricity for their electricity usage in perpetuity. The program page also says applications are open to eligible charge point operators and that successful applicants must execute a funding agreement before any co-funding payments are made. ¹⁴

Fleet electrification support and council capacity funding

The other $11.5 million is directed to businesses, non-government organisations and councils that have 21 or more passenger vehicles, SUVs, vans, utes and small trucks up to 4.5 tonnes. NSW says the fleet grants can provide up to $8,000 per DC fast-charging port and $2,000 per AC charging port, and that the funding is intended to help organisations electrify their fleets and install associated charging infrastructure. ¹

Separate from the charger co-funding, NSW also has a Council Capacity Building Funding Round under the EV Kerbside Charging Program. That round is a $3 million, non-competitive grant for eligible councils, regional organisations of councils and joint organisations, with grants from $20,000 to $80,000. It funds capacity-building work such as advice, policy development, community engagement and staff support, but it does not fund EV charging hardware or installation costs. ⁵

State context and earlier program settings

NSW linked the latest funding to higher EV uptake, saying more than 155,000 EVs are now registered in the state and that drivers and businesses are saving up to $3,000 a year in running costs. The release also says EV sales across Australia last month surpassed petrol car sales for the first time. Earlier in April, NSW said more than 117,000 EVs were registered in the state and set out a broader $100 million EV Strategy covering fast chargers, kerbside chargers, fleet incentives and workforce training. ¹³²

Energy NSW says rounds 1 and 2 of the kerbside charging program allocated $6.9 million to install over 1,000 kerbside charge ports across 38 local government areas in NSW, and that the government has funded more than 3,300 EV chargers across more than 1,200 sites in metropolitan, regional and remote parts of the state. The ministerial release says funding invested in EV fleets to date has supported organisations to buy almost 5,000 electric fleet vehicles and install more than 1,500 EV chargers. ²