The Electric Vehicle Council (EVC) has welcomed the Minns Labor Government’s commitment of 159 new EV chargers across 48 regional hotspots, calling the investment a major confidence boost for drivers and a catalyst for stronger regional tourism.

Backed by $5.9 million in Destination Charging Grants and $3.2 million in private co-investment, the chargers will be rolled out along key road-trip routes across NSW over the next 12 months, as well as at supermarkets, visitor centres, national parks and popular holiday destinations.

EVC CEO, Julie Delvecchio said the initiative tackles one of the most significant remaining barriers to electric vehicle uptake and stamps NSW as one of Australia’s most EV-ready states.

“This rollout of public chargers in NSW will support thousands of additional EV journeys each year, connect major tourism trails and regional communities, and help NSW meet its Net Zero goals,” Ms Delvecchio said.

“While most EV drivers use a combination of home and public charging, the availability of public chargers is often the decisive factor for drivers considering the switch to an EV, particularly those in outer suburbs and regional communities.

“Public charging is also the single most effective way to eliminate range anxiety and give more drivers the confidence to take EVs on long-distance road trips.

“As EVs increasingly offer ranges over 400km, this rollout is an important step in opening up the whole state to EV travel. It builds on existing infrastructure and makes the switch easier for the next wave of drivers. Our message to families thinking of switching to an EV, or taking their EV on holidays: give it a go.”

Ms Delvecchio said today’s announcement demonstrates the NSW Government and its private sector partners are committed to making EV travel easier and more predictable. The EVC also welcomed the decision to power all new chargers with 100% renewable energy.

The EVC’s State of Electric Vehicles 2025 report, released last month, found there was a 20% increase in fast-charging locations nationally over the 12 months to 30 June, with regional travel emerging as one of the strongest drivers of consumer demand.

Ms Delvecchio said off the back of the momentum of the latest NSW announcement, delivering a robust national public charging program should be a priority across all jurisdictions.

“Installing more public chargers in regional areas and along major tourism routes is key to how we build cleaner transport and a genuinely national charging network,” Ms Delvecchio said.

“Tourism operators are on board as they increasingly see charging as a way to attract year-round visitors. Every EV that stops to charge strengthens regional economies by bringing money into local businesses, including cafés, pubs and accommodation providers.”

To accelerate the delivery of a reliable national public charging, the EVC urges Federal and State Government work together to:

•  Support the development of a National Charging Roadmap aligned with Net Zero and 2035 emissions goals.
• Continue to co-invest with industry to reduce highway and regional charging blackspots
• Support ultra-fast charging hubs for heavy vehicles and commercial fleets
• Embed charging rollout into regional development and tourism strategies
• Support consumer information campaigns to counter persistent EV myths.

About the EVC:

The Electric Vehicle Council (EVC) is the peak national body representing the electric vehicle industry in Australia. Representing members from across the value chain of the electric vehicle sector, the EVC is a trusted advisor and advocate to governments and decision makers across Australia.

New data showing that almost 30,000 new battery electric vehicles (BEVs) were sold in Australia between 1 July and 30 September demonstrates that the electric vehicle transition is already happening in Australia’s suburbs in record numbers.

Ms Delvecchio said the Coalition’s decision, announced yesterday, to abandon key EV policies which have spurred this transition would instead condemn Australians to more expensive and polluting petrol and diesel cars. 

“More Australians are choosing electric vehicles because they make financial, environmental, and practical sense,” said Ms Delvecchio, CEO of the EVC.

“With transport projected to become Australia’s largest source of emissions by 2030, every additional EV on our roads cuts the cost of transport, improves air quality, and strengthens Australia’s energy resilience.”

“These latest EV sales figures demonstrate that the Federal Government’s vehicle efficiency standards and the Electric Car Discount are clearly working,” Ms Delvecchio said.

“Any move to abandon national emissions reduction targets and these key EV policies would condemn motorists to paying more at the pump for longer, while missing out on the long-term savings and energy security that EVs deliver.

Record Breaking EV Quarter 

According to the Australian Automobile Association’s (AAA) latest EV Index, released earlier this week, battery electric vehicles (BEVs) increased their share of total sales to a record 9.7%, underscoring the growing strength and resilience of Australia’s EV market.

The AAA data also revealed that electrified vehicles are a growing part of the medium car classification, with BEVs accounting for more than 40 per cent of September quarter sales. The share of internal combustion engine (ICE) sales in this category fell to less than one in five.

In Australia’s most popular vehicle segment, the medium SUV category, BEV sales rose to a new high of 22.7% for the category.

EVC Calls for Publicly Available Vehicle Sales Data in Senate Inquiry

At the Senate Select Committee on Information Integrity on Climate Change and Energy yesterday, EVC CEO Julie Delvecchio reiterated calls for a single, public source for national vehicle sales to enhance credibility and address confusion and misinformation.

“Publicly available data is crucial in key industries like the Australian automotive sector,” Ms Delvecchio said. “However, there is not a single source of all vehicle sales, which leads to fragmented and sometimes inaccurate reporting, confusion for consumers and the underrepresentation of EV sales figures.” 

“Transparency, accountability, and public education are the foundation of information integrity in Australia’s energy transition. 

“To that end, the EVC encourages the Federal Government to accelerate plans to provide publicly available vehicle sales data to better inform consumers and counter misinformation and disinformation. This public resource could be complemented by specialised private sector data.”

** Note re reporting inaccuracies ** 

The AAA EV Index is a comprehensive collation of information from multiple national, state and territory sources. Due to confusion when referencing other sales data sources – which resulted in the double-counting of Tesla vehicle sales in 2024 – some media reports this week initially claimed that total EV sales have declined in 2025. As the AAA report clearly shows, EV sales have increased year-on-year.