The steps NSW is taking to keep up with rising demand for EVs as petrol prices bite

Hundreds of new electric vehicle chargers will be rolled out in suburban Sydney and regional blackspots and more funding will be directed to businesses to electrify their heavy vehicle fleets as part of a new strategy to keep up with a surge in EV sales in Australia amid the war against Iran.

EV sales have jumped dramatically since the outbreak of the war against Iran prompted a spike in global fuel prices. Sales climbed by 50 per cent in March, according to the Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries, and EV rentals have also boomed.

But concerns remain about whether states such as NSW have the infrastructure to support the rapid uptake of EVs. Consumer surveys repeatedly find fears about access to chargers remain a major barrier to drivers who are considering switching, and last week this masthead revealed that dozens of suburbs remain with little to no public charging technology.

On Tuesday, Energy Minister Penny Sharpe will release an updated EV strategy designed to plug some of the gaps in the state’s charging infrastructure, at the same time as reducing the state’s transport emissions.

The strategy, which comes with $100 million in new funding, includes $45 million towards an expanded rollout of new electric vehicle chargers, particularly fast chargers, across blackspots in suburban Sydney and the bush via a series of grants. Overall, the government says the funding will deliver up to 1000 new charge plugs over the next few years, a figure that includes more kerbside chargers.

The government will also announce $40 million towards the expansion of an existing EV fleets incentive, which provides grants for businesses to invest in battery-operated electric cars.

For the first time, the grants will include heavy vehicles, a major source of transport emissions. Sales of electric trucks were only 1 per cent of new sales in 2024, and more than a quarter of heavy vehicles in NSW are more than 20 years old.

EV Council chief executive Julie Delvecchio said expanding fleet incentives to trucks was “one of the smartest moves in this strategy”.

“It’s one of the fastest ways to cut operating costs for businesses while making our streets cleaner and quieter for everyone,” She said.

“NSW is pushing on the right barriers to unlock EV uptake and help people access cost of living savings that come from making the switch. Filling regional charging gaps, expanding support for heavy vehicle fleets, and investing in workforce training are practical steps that will get more Australians into EVs sooner.”

Premier Chris Minns, an EV driver, has previously cited a desire to address the lack of access to chargers while saying he wanted to broaden access to the vehicles beyond “snobs that live in the eastern suburbs”.

“Families are feeling the pressure every time they fill up. We want to give more families the option of taking up EVs,” he said.

“This is about giving people a real alternative, one that’s cheaper to run and with this rollout, easier to access.”

But while the package includes $11 million for councils in metropolitan areas to invest in kerbside charging, the strategy does not include changes to existing ringfencing laws, which poles and wires companies such as Ausgrid say prevent them from rolling out thousands of new kerbside chargers, which remain a major barrier for many apartment dwellers.

The laws, which require companies such as Ausgrid to maintain separation of the monopoly and competitive parts of their business, remain under review by the government and Sharpe has said she is still contemplating additional changes.

Beyond relieving the immediate pain being felt at the bowser, the widespread take-up of electric vehicles will be crucial for the government to meet its legislated emissions targets of net zero by 2050 and 50 per cent by 2030.

Transport is the state’s second-largest source of emission, and the bulk of that comes from road transport. As the amount of renewable energy sources increases, the government predicts transport will be the largest source of emissions by 2029-30.

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