This grant supports charge point operators (CPOs) to construct fast charging stations across the state.
Key information
- Status: Closed
- Grant amount: Up to $15 million per organisation
- Application opened: 7 February 2022
- Application closed: 18 March 2022, 5:00 pm
Program objective
We’re working to make NSW the easiest place to buy and use an electric vehicle (EV) in Australia, with a $149 million investment to develop a world-class fast charging network across the state.
A key action under the NSW Electric Vehicle Strategy, this investment will support and encourage growth of the EV market by:
- overcoming range anxiety through the development of a broad, visible and accessible fast charging network across NSW
- ensuring connectivity between metropolitan and regional areas
- future-proofing the EV charging network past 2030
- co-funding private industry to build, own and operate the charging stations
- maximising grid support and reducing emissions.
This program is funded and administered by The Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water.
Eligibility
Who can apply
- an entity incorporated under the Corporations Act 2001(Cth)
- a state-owned corporation or subsidiary of an Australian state or territory owned corporation
- a local government or council in NSW.
Who can’t apply
- an entity who does not have a valid ABN for their organisation or any partner organisation
- an entity who does not have the appropriate insurance in place
- an entity who is not either:
- incorporated under the Corporations Act 2001(Cth)
- a state-owned corporation or subsidiary of an Australian state or territory owned corporation
- a local government or council in NSW
- an entity (including their partners / financiers) who cannot privately fund 50% or more (on average) across their bid for standard stream charging stations and 30% or more across their bid for fast track stream charging stations
- an entity who does not agree to participate in knowledge sharing activities related to the project.
What can’t you apply for
- activities that directly relate to NSW Government planning assessment processes, such as:
- biodiversity studies
- heritage studies
- noise, air quality and traffic studies
- water, waste and hazardous material studies.
- activities that directly relate to the cost of preparing a bid for the purposes of cofunding charging stations.
- expenditure related to the general operations and administration of the recipient entity that the recipient could reasonably be expected to be undertaken in the normal course of business. This includes, but is not limited to:
- the electricity charges associated with existing charging stations operated by a recipient, or stations co-funded by the NSW Government
- electricity demand charges of all current and future charging stations– taxes related to current and future charging stations
- any foreign exchange/forex associated costs
- expenditure on activities that a local, state, territory or Commonwealth government agency has the responsibility to undertake
- interest on loans for new and pre-existing capital items used for the charging station/s
- expenditure on the acquisition of land for charging station/s
- sales or promotional activities that do not directly support the successful completion of the charging station/s
- membership fees, donations, or any other expenditure that the Department determines does not directly support the successful completion of the charging station/s activities that directly relate to NSW Government planning assessment processes, such as:
- biodiversity studies
- heritage studies
- noise, air quality and traffic studies
- water, waste and hazardous material studies.
You can also submit your application on SmartyGrants, please refer to grant guidelines for the links to the SmartyGrants portal.
Types of projects funded under this grant
Co-funding fast charging stations
The Drive electric NSW EV fast charging grants will support charge point operators (CPOs) to construct fast charging stations across the state.
The total NSW Government funding allocated for this round is $35 million, which may be increased or decreased at the discretion of the NSW Government.
Applicants are required to prepare and submit a budget for each charging station included within their bid. An agreed budget will form part of the funding deed with the NSW Government.
Funding will be prioritised for projects that can demonstrate both value for money and merit, including building regional charging stations, innovation in station design and diversity of locations proposed.
Most recent recipients
What was approved
Approved for AmpCharge Pty Ltd (Withdrawn)
$7,181,541 was approved by
Deputy Secretary DCCEEWDate approved
October 2022Location of the project
NSWLocation of the recipient
Alexandria 2015About the grant
Applications approved
5
Applications received
9
Round 1 - Electric vehicle fast charging grants
Agency funding this grant
The Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and WaterProgram term
Two Years* (* subject to change based on project variations and updates)What was approved
Approved for BP AUSTRALIA PTY LTD
$5,880,000 was approved by
Deputy Secretary DCCEEWDate approved
October 2022Location of the recipient
Out of NSWAbout the grant
Applications approved
5
Applications received
9
Round 1 - Electric vehicle fast charging grants
Agency funding this grant
The Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and WaterProgram term
Two Years* (* subject to change based on project variations and updates)What was approved
Approved for Fast Cities Australia Pty Ltd
$727,665 was approved by
Deputy Secretary DCCEEWDate approved
October 2022Location of the recipient
Sydney 2000About the grant
Applications approved
5
Applications received
9
Round 1 - Electric vehicle fast charging grants
Agency funding this grant
The Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and WaterProgram term
Two Years* (* subject to change based on project variations and updates)What was approved
Approved for NRMA Electric Highways Pty Ltd
$2,434,210 was approved by
Deputy Secretary DCCEEWDate approved
October 2022Location of the recipient
Sydney 2000About the grant
Applications approved
5
Applications received
9
Round 1 - Electric vehicle fast charging grants
Agency funding this grant
The Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and WaterProgram term
Two Years* (* subject to change based on project variations and updates)What was approved
Approved for Tesla Motors Australia PTY LTD
$9,854,181 was approved by
Deputy Secretary DCCEEWDate approved
October 2022Location of the recipient
North Sydney 2060About the grant
Applications approved
5
Applications received
9
Round 1 - Electric vehicle fast charging grants
Agency funding this grant
The Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and WaterProgram term
Two Years* (* subject to change based on project variations and updates)What your application needs to include
You can download the full guidelines:
Prepare your application with this checklist
Submitting a bid
- All applicants must use the department’s nominated online grant management system (GMS), SmartyGrants, to submit a bid and all relevant documentation. Instructions for how to use the GMS will be provided immediately after logging in to the platform.
- The GMS gives you the option to save and return to your application at a later time. The GMS will include a mix of mandatory fields, optional fields and requirements to provide supporting attachments. Applicants will be required to comply with stated word or page limits for various fields and/or attachments. The department reserves the right to elect not to read words beyond a specified limit.
- Applicants should ensure they have completed all sections in the GMS, including mandatory attachments.
- Bids will be developed in the GMS over two assessment stages. Stage one will check eligibility and allow for initial project details to be submitted and assessed. Successful applicants are then invited to continue to stage two to continue developing their bid.
- Applicants have the discretion to propose one or multiple charging stations in a single bid. Applicants who seek co-funding for multiple charging stations must present each station and its supporting information separately within a bid and in priority order. In a bid that contains multiple stations, the department reserves the right to deem any station within as successful or unsuccessful.
- If applicants propose multiple stations in a bid, an applicant may only nominate one station for each green zone identified in Appendix 4.
- Applicants must submit all information for a bid before the designated time and date outlined on the Energy Saver website, at energysaver.nsw.gov.au/EVfastcharging.
- The department may seek supplementary information or clarification from applicants at any time throughout the bid and assessment process.
- At any time during the bid and assessment process the department may carry out due diligence on a bid.
Due diligence may include, but is not limited to:
- inviting applicants to present their bid to the department and/or the department’s consultants, assessment panel and advisers
- commissioning or completing research, analysis and modelling to support assessments
- contacting any relevant federal, state, territory, local or international government agency about the bid
- requesting applicants to disclose any material reasonably required in respect of the eligibility criteria and merit criteria.
By submitting a bid, applicants indicate their willingness to agree to all conditions outlined in these guidelines. This includes, but is not limited to, all knowledge sharing, reporting, program evaluation and funding requirements.
Start the application
Applications for this grant are now closed.
After the application is submitted
Successful applications will be decided by: Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water.
The applications will be assessed and both successful and unsuccessful applicants will be notified.
The table below covers each engagement point between the Department and applicants throughout the application and assessment process.
| Engagement point | Description |
|---|---|
| During bid preparation stage | Applicants can seek clarification on program related issues in writing while the round is open for bids. The Department can determine whether to respond to the clarification. Where the Department chooses to respond, it may respond by written notice to all organisations registered on the GMS (together with an anonymized copy of the request itself). |
| Receipt of bid | Applicants will be notified when their bid has been successfully submitted. |
| Eligibility: request for more information | The Department may choose to ask specific applicants for minor clarification or additional information if it is needed to deem a bid eligible. Applicants will not be given any chance to improve their overall bid. If the applicant responds to this request, the assessment panel will determine if their bid is eligible or ineligible. |
| Applicant presentation | Applicants may choose to present their bid (once deemed eligible) to the assessment panel. This will consist of a 30 minute presentation and 15 minutes for the panel to ask any clarifying questions. This is an optional meeting at the discretion of the applicant. |
| Assessment outcome | Following the final decision of the assessment panel and NSW Government approval of successful and unsuccessful bids, the Department will provide written advice to all applicants of the outcome. Successful applicants will be invited to proceed with funding agreement negotiations. Unsuccessful applicants will be informed of why their bid was unsuccessful and invited to apply for future funding rounds. If requested by the applicant, further feedback will be provided by the Office in a follow up session at an agreed time. |
| Funding agreement execution | The Department will proceed to negotiate funding agreements with successful applicants. |
Support and contact
For more information about the grant and application process, you can head to the Energy NSW website.