Fast charging grants FAQs

In line with the guidelines, a bid refers to an application for funding from the EV fast charging grants made up of a proposal of one or more charging stations.

All applicants must have an Australian Business Number (ABN) and be an entity incorporated under the Corporations Act 2001.

It is recommended all questions are completed as thoroughly as possible to ensure your site/s have the best chance of being selected for co-funding. Each application will be reviewed by an assessment panel with the final decision based on competitive analysis of sites across all applications and the applicant’s ability to address the merit criteria.

Yes, but applicants will need to demonstrate that charging stations proposed outside of a priority zone meet objectives outlined in the funding guidelines.

We are looking to provide a world class ultra-fast charging network, future-proofed for an increase in EVs, improvements in charging capabilities and caters to vehicle technology not currently available. 

That is why funding is being made available through these grants to ensure a 500 kVA minimum connection threshold, allowing for financial assistance to upgrade the grid where network augmentation is required. The 500 kVA connection can come solely from the grid or from the grid and other energy generation/storage options on site (see eligible expenditure on page 56 of the funding guidelines).
 
Each charging station within a bid requires a minimum of 2 chargers that service 4 bays, with a minimum of 2 of those bays being able to charge an EV at a theoretical peak speed of 350 kW (+/-15%) and remaining 2 bays at theoretical peak speeds of 175 kW (+/-20%), and all stations must also include slow charging redundancy options. Theoretical peak speed means that the single charging unit must be able to charge one vehicle at that speed, or 2 vehicles at half the theoretical peak speed simultaneously. 

So long as these minimum requirements are met we will accept capacity combinations, such as: 

• Two 350 kW charging units that service 2 bays each (able to charge vehicles at two bays at theoretical peak speaks of 350 kW (+/- 20%) or 2 vehicles at 175 kW simultaneously). 
• Two 350 kW charging units that service one bay each, with one 175 kW charging unit servicing the other 2 bays (able to charge one vehicle per bay at a theoretical peak speed of 175 kW (+/- 20%), or 2 vehicles at 87.5kW simultaneously).
• Two 350 kW charging units and two 175 kW chargers, with each charger servicing one bay.

Relevant eligibility text can be found on page 22 of the funding guidelines and reads as follows:

To be eligible your project must meet the following minimum requirements: 

• a minimum of 2 chargers to service a minimum of 4 bays concurrently (i.e. 4 charging plugs) 
• a minimum of 2 charging bays rated at a minimum of 175 kW per bay (+/- 20%) 
• a minimum of 2 charging bays rated at a minimum of 350 kW per bay (+/-15%)
• includes a redundancy option (for example, an additional 22kW AC plug) if the site has 4 bays. If the site has 6 or more bays a redundancy option is not required. 
• has a minimum connection of 500 kVA to site (where applicable) 
• evidence where a proposed station connection capacity of 500 kVA is not possible (including evidence for rationale behind reduced connection size), and the proposed new total site connection capacity. 

We are looking to provide a world class ultra-fast charging network, future-proofed for an increase in EVs, improvements in charging capabilities and caters to vehicle technology not currently available.

That is why funding is being made available through these grants to ensure a 750 kVA minimum connection threshold, allowing for financial assistance to upgrade the grid where network augmentation is required. The 750 kVA connection can come solely from the grid or from the grid and other energy generation/storage options on site (see eligible expenditure on page 56 of the funding guidelines).

Each charging station within a bid requires a minimum of 4 chargers that service 8 bays, with a minimum of 2 of those bays being able to charge an EV at a theoretical peak speed of 350 kW (+/-15%) and remaining 6 bays at theoretical peak speeds of 175 kW (+/-20%). Theoretical peak speed means that the single charging unit must be able to charge one vehicle at that speed, or 2 vehicles at half the theoretical peak speed simultaneously.

So long as these minimum requirements are met we will accept capacity combinations, such as:

• Four 350 kW charging units that service 2 bays each (able to charge vehicles at 4 bays at theoretical peak speaks of 350 kW (+/- 20%) or 2 vehicles per charging unit at 175 kW simultaneously).
• Two 350 kW charging units that service one bay each, with three 175 kW charging unit servicing the other 6 bays (able to charge one vehicle per bay at a theoretical peak speed of 175 kW (+/- 20%), or 2 vehicles at 87.5kW simultaneously).
• Two 350 kW charging units and six 175 kW chargers, with each charger servicing one bay.
• One 350kW charger to service 2 bays, and three 175 kW chargers to service 6 bays.

Relevant eligibility text can be found on page 30-31 of the funding guidelines. To be eligible your project must meet the following minimum requirements:

• a minimum of 4 chargers to service a minimum of eight bays concurrently (i.e., 8 charging plugs)
• a minimum of 6 charging bays rated at a minimum of 175 kW per bay (+/- 20%)
• a minimum of 2 charging bays rated at a minimum of 350 kW per bay (+/-15%)
• has a minimum connection of 750 kVA to site (which may be met through either grid connection or via a combination of grid connection and battery storage).

Please note, a redundancy option is not required in the fast-track stream. The fast charging program only requires a redundancy option if a site has 4 bays. Fast track sites should have a minimum of 8 bays. 

It is important to understand what increase in your network may be required to facilitate your network connection early in the project scoping stage. There are three electricity distribution network service providers (DNSPs) in NSW, each responsible for a specific geographic region in NSW. They are Ausgrid, Essential Energy and Endeavour Energy. You will need to contact the relevant DNSP for your site and liaise with them to determine the expansion requirements to connect your facility.

You are required to arrange and fund this process, as part of the site development. The DNSP will manage the connection process and provide information on the suitability and viability of the network connection, infrastructure upgrades and overall network connection costs.

The DNSP will advise what work is required to increase the grid for your connection, but they will not carry out any works. You will need to engage a qualified accredited service provider (ASP) who will liaise with the DNSP and complete the relevant work, which will be funded by your project. A list of ASPs is here (NSW ASP list).

No. You will need to demonstrate either the ability to manage these projects or procure expertise as part of your bid.

Yes, you can apply for multiple sites across multiple priority zones. However, each applicant cannot apply for more than $30 million worth of co-funding in round 2.

Yes. Charging stations within a bid must be at least 50% privately funded for standard zones, and 70% for fast track zones, which can be financed by the applicant, their partners or other sources of funding such as financiers or local governments.

The co-funding limit is 50% of the TPV for all charging stations included in a bid. Applicants are welcome to request more than 50% of funding for individual charging stations within their bid, as long as the total funding request does not exceed 50% of the total project value across the entire bid.

Yes. Our funding contribution for each charging station can include the capital cost for on-site batteries or renewable energy generation sources. This contribution can be pooled across a bid and used for a battery / renewable energy generator(s) on one or multiple charging stations across a bid.

As a result of the program’s constant assurance process, a decision was made on 1 March 2022 to amend the percentages of payments for the EV fast charging grants milestones. The new milestone breakdown better reflects when funding will be utilised by grant recipients.

The amendment was made in consultation with our probity advisor and the department’s legal team. 

Applications must include significant detail on the sites they hope to receive co-funding for, including their ability to develop, finance and operate charging stations to the specifications outlined in the guidelines. These will then be reviewed by an assessment panel on a merit basis. Please be aware that only CPOs that have submitted applications when rounds are open will be considered. 

We have engaged an external probity advisory firm, O’Connor Marsden & Associates Pty Ltd, to ensure the process is fair to all applicants and there is no bias in the selection of charging stations. Please email [email protected] with any questions or queries about this selection process.

The full application process will take around 21 weeks, which includes a period of 7 weeks in which applications will be assessed by an independent panel of industry experts. All applicants will be notified whether they are successful or not. This timeframe may change at our discretion.

No. Stations must be operational within 2 years of the signing of a funding deed with the department.

No. Currently, if you are unsuccessful in round 2, you cannot resubmit your bid for the same site in future rounds. This may change in future rounds as the network is built out and at our discretion.

Note, in round 2, only one station per priority standard or fast track zone will be selected to receive co-funding, so if there are multiple bids for co-funding to install and operate fast charging stations within the same zone, only one applicant will be successful.

Yes. If unsuccessful you will have the opportunity to bid for co-funding for different sites in future funding rounds. However, you cannot resubmit a bid for site/s you were unsuccessful in receiving co-funding.

Funding rounds are intended to occur until 2024, however, this may change at our discretion and with the evolving demand for EV fast-charging stations across the state. Information about upcoming funding rounds will be posted on this website in advance of each round opening. Sign up to our EV mailing list to keep up to date.

Yes, you can use the information provided, keeping in mind you are not able to reapply for site/s you applied for in round one. We also strongly encourage you to check if any charging stations are being developed near your chosen locations. Planned charging stations from each round will be published on the NSW fast charging Master Plan.

Any submission issues for the online grants management platform (SmartyGrants) can contact the SmartyGrants help desk at [email protected]. The help desk team are available during AST business hours.

Any EV technical advice or grant relevant questions can be submitted by email to [email protected]. We will endeavour to resolve these enquiries within 3 business days, unless complex in nature.

We will host an information session at the beginning of each round, which will be recorded and made available online for the duration of the round.

An online information session was held on 16 November 2022. You can watch a recording of the session here.

Sign up to our EV mailing list to be one of the first to know about future round information sessions.

Following the information session, additional questions can be directed to [email protected].

We have legal obligations under the Privacy and Personal Information Protection Act 1998 (NSW) in relation to the collection, storage, access, use and disclosure of personal information.

If collecting your personal information, we will provide you with a privacy statement at the time of collection that details how this information will be managed in accordance with privacy law.

Information of a confidential nature provided as part of or in connection with any bid, will be treated as commercial-in-confidence information and only disclosed with the consent of the applicant.

However, commercial-in-confidence information may be disclosed:

• to the minister/the minister’s Office
• to department staff
• to relevant parties for auditing and review purposes
• where authorised or required by law to be disclosed.

CPOs interested in obtaining locations and contact details for funding must contact the [email protected] mailbox to request a copy of the site host EOI list.

The CPOs that apply for a copy of the EOI site list will be asked to complete a declaration and we will complete some preliminary background screening of the organisation before we share a private link to access the list of potential sites.