NSW Electric Vehicle  Ready Buildings Grant

Making buildings EV ready refers to the process of retrofitting an existing building with the electrical infrastructure needed to allow for EV charging.  It involves identifying:

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• The building’s maximum electricity demand – the maximum actual usage of electricity for the building.

• The building’s electricity capacity – the maximum electricity the building can use before something in the building trips.

• The number of charging points that may be installed – now and in the future.

• The likely costs and funding sources.

• The most optimal installation approach.

• Any approvals that need to be granted.

 

It then involves potentially upgrading switchboards and installing distribution boards, cabling, load management systems and other electrical infrastructure.

 

  1.  Confirm your eligibility criteria:

• Who can apply:

  • Registered residential strata schemes located in NSW that are classified as Class 2, and having 10 or more units and private off-street parking. 

  • Definition - Class 2 buildings are apartment buildings with multi (10 or more) residential (sole-occupancy) units, with private off-street parking.    

• Who cant apply:

  • Strata schemes that are entirely commercial. 

  • Apartment buildings that are not a registered residential strata scheme.  

  • Non-class 2 buildings.   

  • Apartment buildings with less than 10 units. 

  • Apartment buildings with 4 or more chargers already installed. 

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  2.  Projects Stages funded under this grant:

• Co-funding in 2 stages: 

  • Stage 1 - Co-funds apartment buildings to conduct feasibility assessments for the installation of EV charging infrastructure.  

  • Stage 2 - Co-fund the installation of EV charging infrastructure for apartment buildings. 

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  3.  Stage 1:

• A Feasibility Study.  There are two paths open to you at this stage:

  1. Engage Charge Hub for $1,800 + GST to undertake a Assessment of your Site and provide you with a Report within two to three weeks in the format suitable for the NSW Government assessment team.  You submit our full Feasibility Study with your Stage 1 application.  The NSW Government team will assess this application and Feasibility study at now cost.

  2. Apply directly for the Stage 1 Grant.  The NSW Government will accept your application with 6 weeks, then allocate an independent consultant prior to the assessment commencing within 8 more weeks, which you must pay $2,000 + GST to directly.  The NSW Government will subsidise the remaining cost of the feasibility assessment on completion of the assessment.  

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Applicants will be invited to apply for a Stage 2 Grant upon successful completion of a Stage 1 Grant. Stage 2 Grants are not available for applicants if they have not completed Stage 1. 

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  4.  Stage 2:

• ​The NSW Government will fund 80% towards the cost of retrofitting electrical infrastructure to make your building EV ready (capped at a total value of $80,000 ex-GST per application) 

 

• Electrical infrastructure upgrades including: 

  • Load management systems 

  • Electrical cabling 

  • Residual-current devices 

  • Switchboards 

  • Distribution boards 

  • Circuit breakers 

  • Electrical surveys / load management assessments (if further assessment is required after the initial stage 1 assessment) 

  • Open charge point protocol (OCPP) management systems  

  • Network upgrades. 

 

• Funding may also cover up to 4 chargers per site, which must be available to all residents (i.e. located in common property locations such as visitor car spots). 

• The NSW Government will also co-fund 50% towards the cost of software subscriptions for load management and shared charger billing usage capabilities for 2 years (capped at a total value of $1,200 ex-GST per application). This feature is optional. 

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  5.  What you can't apply for:

• Grants application costs 

• Business case development or council approval costs 

• Chargers that have already been purchased and/or installed 

• Chargers for private/individual use 

• Software subscriptions not listed on the EV charger software list (see note below)

• Additional charging cables (EV drivers typically carry their own) 

• Ongoing costs to operate or maintain electrical upgrades and/or charging systems 

• Internet costs 

• Electricity costs 

• Insurance costs 

• Salaries or staffing expenses.

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