It has been announced that Australia is set to develop its first national roadmap to help industry and governments understand and plan the charging infrastructure needed to support millions more electric vehicles and a growing fleet of electric trucks expected on Australian roads by 2035.
The innitiative is being led by the Electric Vehicle Council (EVC), which says that the project will bring together manufacturers, fleet operators, charge point operators, consumer groups, electricity networks, and more to develop the evidence base of future charging needs that will help plan Australia’s charging system for what comes next.
The $1.43 million National EV Charging Roadmap has been supported by $1.06 million in funding from the Australian Renewable Energy Agency or ARENA as it is better known, under its Driving the Nation Program as well as contributions from the EVC and other project partners.
The project will develop an evidence-based national view of charging needs for both heavy vehicles and passenger cars through to 2035, identifying emerging pressure points, major dependencies and priority areas for coordination across industry, governments and the electricity system. The final roadmap is expected to be released in mid-2027.
The Roadmap will identify emerging charging demand, pressure points and where greater coordination could inform investment decisions and it will consider passenger and heavy-vehicle charging together as part of an integrated national system across metropolitan and regional Australia.
EVC’s chief executive Julie Delvecchio said that while charging investment was accelerating, a key challenge is scaling infrastructure strategically.
“The debate about whether Australians will choose electric vehicles is increasingly behind us,” Delvecchio said.
“The options are here, and Australians are buying them in record numbers, so the focus now needs to be on what happens next – so our charging system scales as EV adoption grows,” she said.
“Other major EV markets have recognised the value of coordinated national planning so this Roadmap will bring that to Australia, shaped around our distances, our electricity system and the needs of everything from passenger cars to heavy trucks.”
“The challenge is not simply to deliver more chargers, but to ensure we invest in the right charging infrastructure nationally, in the right places, at the right time, and that requires a more coordinated approach to transport, energy and infrastructure planning.
The EVC’s head of energy, infrastructure and commercial and the project director for the Roadmap, Dr Alina Dini said broad industry consultation would be central to developing a practical, evidence-based Roadmap.
“Australia’s charging challenge is not a lack of activity, significant investment and innovation are underway, but decisions across different sectors are often being made independently, without a shared understanding of future demand,” Dr Dini said.
“This Roadmap is about bringing those pieces together so the sector can work from a common national vision,” she said.
“We will be consulting widely to bring together the evidence, expertise and practical experience of charging providers, vehicle manufacturers, electricity networks, fleet operators, property owners, researchers, consumer representatives and communities.
“The Roadmap will be a planning and coordination tool rather than a fixed prediction or prescription. Its scenarios and priorities will provide a common evidence base to inform investment and decision making as EV uptake, charging technology, consumer behaviour, home charging, network investment and heavy vehicle electrification evolve.”
ARENA’s chief executive officer Darren Miller said that a reliable and well-planned charging network will be critical to supporting Australia’s transport transition.
“While investment in charging infrastructure continues to grow, it’s important that future deployment is guided by a clear understanding of where demand will emerge across households, businesses, freight and public charging,” Miller said.
“Through this Roadmap, ARENA is supporting the nation’s most comprehensive assessment of future charging needs, and this will help industry and governments plan and invest with confidence, so Australians can access charging infrastructure where they need it,” he said.
The EVC is encouraging stakeholders who want to contribute to the Roadmap to sign up for project updates and consultation opportunities at https://electricvehiclecouncil.com.au/national-charging-roadmap/
Julie Delvecchio said development of the Roadmap would be a starting point, not the end of the task.
“The bigger job is turning evidence into coordinated action across industry, the energy system and government, and the EVC will continue to bring those perspectives together as the Roadmap moves from development to delivery,” she added.
The Council said that the final National EV Charging Roadmap is due for release in mid-2027.
The $1.43 million National EV Charging Roadmap is led by the Electric Vehicle Council and supported by $1.06 million in ARENA funding.
