NSW to roll out 159 new EV chargers across 48 regional hotspots

At a Glance 

• 159 new EV chargers funded across 48 NSW regional hotspots 
• $5.9 million in state grants unlocking total pool of $9.1 million with private co-funding 
• Once delivered, state support underpins almost 3,300 chargers across nearly 1,200 sites

Driving across New South Wales in an electric vehicle (EV) is set to become easier, with the state government announcing 159 new chargers in 48 regional hotspots through its EV Destination Charging Grants program. 

The funding commits $5.9 million in grants and draws in a further $3.2 million from private partners, lifting total investment to $9.1 million. The aim is clear: give EV drivers more places to plug in while they eat, shop or explore a town, so they can head back out on the open road with a comfortable buffer left in the battery. 

Funding partners include The NRMA, EVSE, KarChargers, Woolworths Group, ReGen EV Charging Install and Rise Energy. The rollout is planned over the coming year as part of the broader shift to make NSW one of the easier states for EV ownership and long-distance touring. 

Where the new NSW EV chargers will go 

The new chargers will be spread across 48 regional Local Government Areas, with a focus on locations where people already tend to stop on a trip, such as visitor centres, supermarkets, town centres and popular holiday spots. 

Some of the larger allocations include: 

• Shoalhaven, with 19 charging ports 
• Kempsey, with 11 ports 
• Mid-Coast, with 10 ports 
• Lismore, Murray River and Tweed, with 9 ports each 
• Narromine, with 8 ports 
• Dubbo and Federation, with 7 ports each 

Junee and Kyogle will each receive 6 ports, and Bourke, Brewarrina, Snowy Valleys will all get four ports. A number of three-port sites will be added in Blayney, Carrathool, Hilltops, Lithgow, Liverpool Plains, Murrumbidgee, Oberon, Parkes, Upper Lachlan, Walgett and Warrumbungle. 

Under the grant guidelines, all sites include at least two DC ports with up to a 100kW charge rate and a backup 22kW AC port. If there are more than two DC units, an AC unit is not required. Exact street locations are still being finalised with councils and site partners, so details like bay layout and time limits will come later.

Tourism and local economies in focus 

The program is pitched as both transport and tourism infrastructure. The new chargers are earmarked for iconic NSW road trip routes and key tourism destinations, from inland river country through to coastal regions and high-country towns. 

For EV drivers, this means more confidence to take the scenic route, then pull into a regional centre to plug in, with time for a bite or a look around, then roll out again with enough charge for the next leg. 

For regional communities, the expectation is more visitors, longer dwell times and a better chance that an EV driver chooses their town as the lunch stop instead of simply pressing on to the next highway service centre.

What it means for EV drivers 

For current and prospective EV owners, the announcement signals a continued commitment from the NSW government to making owning an EV easier. There will be more chargers in regional areas, more options to charge in places you would already stop, and a tighter mesh between highway fast chargers and slower destination units. 

Electric road trip planning is still advisable; drivers will need to understand their EV’s driving range, as well as the charging rate and access conditions of individual sites once they are live. 

For those already behind the wheel of an EV, extra charging options in country towns should help dial down range anxiety on longer runs. For those still sitting on the fence, knowing that regional charging is growing, and that the state is putting real money behind both tourism and EV uptake, may help the sums add up for that first move away from the bowser. 

You can find more information about owning an electric vehicle here.