Charging your electric vehicle will soon be easier thanks to a four-year, $40 million commitment in the 2026 Federal Budget.
The Federal Budget has committed a $40 million investment over the next four years to fast-track the rollout of new regional and kerbside EV chargers to support the growing number of electric cars on local roads.
Sales of electric vehicles climbed to over 16 per cent of total new vehicle deliveries in April this year, or 26.7 per cent when combined with plug-in hybrid sales.
It means more than 78,699 electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles have been sold so far this year, exactly double the number sold for the full-year in 2022 (39,347).
According to the Electric Vehicle Council, in late 2025, there were 4000 public EV charging points at almost 1300 locations across Australia.
The issue of a lack of widespread, reliable charging infrastructure has been repeatedly raised by both drivers and vehicle brands, including Mitsubishi and Polestar.
Some brands have taken it upon themselves to implement EV charging infrastructure, with Tesla’s network now offering 130 sites (with 817 plugs) around the country, with a quoted 99.5 per cent uptime.
BYD’s luxury offshoot Denza has announced a network of super-fast ‘Flash Charging’ network for owners, capable of recharging its Z9 GT wagon from 10 to 97 per cent in nine minutes, as it expands its dealership network.
Expanding the charging network amid rising EV sales requires specific support solutions and a new generation of automotive trade skillsets.
To support this, a further $15.4 million (over the next four years) has been committed to extend the ‘Dealership and Repairer Initiative for Vehicle Electrification Nationally’ program.
This funding will aid eligible businesses adapt to selling and supporting electrified vehicles through support for training, equipment and other infrastructure.
Australia’s electric road fleet (full-electric and plug-in hybrid) surpassed 500,000 vehicle sales since 2011 just last month, with EVs accounting for 380,000 vehicles alone.
With over 20 years of experience in digital publishing, James Ward has worked within the automotive landscape since 2007 and brings experience from the publishing, manufacturer and lifestyle side of the industry together to spearhead Drive's multi-media content direction.
