Electric Vehicle ChargeSmart Grants

Funding is awarded on a co‑contribution basis only. Applicants can apply for a grant of any amount up to $50,000 but must also co‑contribute an amount at least the same as the approved grant funding.

Should the final cost of the project be less than the cost stated in the application, then the amount of the grant will be reduced accordingly at the acquittal stage.

If the final cost exceeds that stated in the application, no further funds will be made available and the applicant must be able to meet the shortfall.

In-kind contributions can be included in an applicant’s co-contribution amount up to 20 per cent of the total project cost. For example, if the total project cost is $100,000, the minimum co‑contribution amount is $50,000, and the maximum in‑kind contribution is $20,000.

In‑kind contributions must be quantified in equivalent dollar amounts and included in the project budget.

An in-kind contribution is a contribution of a good or a service other than money. The calculation of your in-kind contribution is based on your best estimates or a standard market rate. For example, in-kind general labour might cost between $20 - 24 an hour (the Australian Government’s National Minimum Wage), whereas in-kind specialist labour (a qualified professional) might cost between $50 - 100.

Grant monies must be primarily used towards the upfront costs of purchasing direct current (DC) Electric Vehicle Supply Equipment (EVSE) and expenses directly associated with installation and meeting relevant standards. Your project budget can include other costs, but funding must be allocated for these expenses from within your co-contribution amount. This is a competitive grant process with limited funding. The assessment panel will evaluate applications competitively against the assessment criteria, including the level of total investment commitment.

Grant monies must be used towards purchasing direct current (DC) Electric Vehicle Supply Equipment (EVSE), including associated connections. EVSE must provide a minimum charge rate of 50kW, meet the national minimum operating standards for plug types, and be universally operational.

The proposed applicant project can include AC charger types, for example, as backup during a DC charger outage, but funding for this must be allocated from within the applicant's co-contribution amount.

Grant funding can only be used for the purpose outlined in the application and which has been approved through the assessment process.

Changes to the approved purpose will only be considered in exceptional circumstances and only after a thorough reassessment process.

If you decide not to proceed with the project, any grant funds received will need to be repaid.

There is room for flexibility when nominating prospective EVSE in the application form and eventual implementation. Alternatives must also meet the minimum requirements of the program guidelines, be of comparative quality and charge rate, and CCO must be notified of any significant pricing variation. This question is designed to provide assessors with a high-level summary of the project components for direct comparison and an initial eligibility check before greater detail is provided in your project plan.

Alternatively, you could nominate all prospective models in this list (you can add as many rows as necessary) and specify in your project plan that the final decision will be made later in the project timeline.

Unlike previous rounds of ChargeSmart, this round does not have ‘preferred’ locations. The program objectives centre around filling any gaps in the existing network and increasing the charging capacity of cities and major routes, either by installing new charging stations or upgrading existing charging stations.

Under the Australian Government's minimum operating standards, each jurisdiction retains the right to vary particular requirements for unique sites where compliance with the standard is prohibitive or impractical. Any variation will be applied to individual sites on a case-by-case basis.

Applicants will need to justify why any aspect of the minimum standards can’t be met, and the assessment panel will take this into account. Applicants should also show that they have considered futureproofing the site for possible future expansion or upgrades.

The assessment panel will consider these responses as part of the competitive assessment against the criteria in the program guidelines.

Projects must be substantially begun in the six months following the execution of the grant deed and be completed within 18 months of the project start date.

Extensions beyond 18 months will only be considered with evidence of events outside the control of the recipient, that arise after the execution of the grant deed.

One hundred per cent of the grant amount will be paid after meeting the funding agreement's terms and conditions and issuing a valid tax invoice to the Department of State Growth.

The grant money will be provided in one lump sum to the amount specified in the signed funding agreement.

If your application is successful, the grant will be paid in one lump sum once the funding agreement terms have been met. The funding agreement terms include a) successful execution of the grant deed and b) acceptance of a satisfactory project plan by the Climate Change Office (CCO). CCO may require minor changes to your submitted project plan before payment of the grant funding.

The 2021 ChargeSmart Program - Fast Charging Round offered individual grants of up to $50,000 towards the cost of purchasing and installing permanently-wired Direct Current (DC) electric vehicle fast chargers for public use.

The 2021 ChargeSmart Program - Destination Charging Round offered individual grants of up to $2,500 towards the cost of purchasing and installing permanently-wired Alternating Current (AC) electric vehicle charging stations for public use.

Fast Charging

The 2018 ChargeSmart Program - Fast Charging Round offered grants of up to $50,000 to support organisations to purchase and install Direct Current (DC) electric vehicle charging stations. The chargers must be available for public use.

Fast chargers provide a high rate of charge and are installed where drivers need to recharge and get back on the road quickly.

Successful grant applicants

Destination Charging

The 2018 ChargeSmart Program - Destination Charging Round offered grants of up to $2,500 to support organisations to purchase and install Alternating Current (AC) electric vehicle charging stations for public use.

Destination chargers are useful for locations where electric vehicle drivers stay for an hour or more, such as shopping centres, hotels, caravan parks, public car parks, restaurants and tourist attractions.

Successful grant applicants

Workplace Charging

The 2018 ChargeSmart Program - Workplace Charging Round offered grants of up to $5,000 to support workplaces (such as councils, businesses and not-for-profits) to purchase and install electric vehicle charging stations.

Successful grant applicants

ChargeSmart helps workplaces to:

• demonstrate leadership by showing that your organisation is ready for electric vehicles;
• support employees who are electric vehicle owners, or may be in the future;
• support increased uptake of electric vehicles in your fleet;
• encourage electric vehicle uptake through increased awareness of the technology and increased convenience of charging; and
• encourage other workplaces to install charging stations through leading by example.