Charging the Regions
A collaborative program accelerating public EV charging across central and north western Victoria.
Overview
Charging the Regions (CTR) is a long-running program accelerating the rollout of public electric vehicle charging across regional Victoria. Councils play a central role in this expansion as custodians of public land and charge point partners, enabling equitable access to charging, supporting regional economic development and tourism, and helping to reduce transport emissions and fuel costs for communities. Since 2019, the CTR has led a proactive and coordinated regional approach to planning, investment and implementation of EV charging infrastructure, establishing a clear and strategic pathway for network growth across the region.
Program Stages
Stage 4- EV Infrastructure Procurement (2025- ongoing)
Stage 3 — Future Planning for Expansion (2024)
Charging the Regions (CTR) is a long-running program accelerating the rollout of public electric vehicle charging across regional Victoria. Councils play a central role in this expansion as custodians of public land and charge point partners, enabling equitable access to charging, supporting regional economic development and tourism, and helping to reduce transport emissions and fuel costs for communities. Since 2019, the CTR has led a proactive and coordinated regional approach to planning, investment and implementation of EV charging infrastructure, establishing a clear and strategic pathway for network growth across the region.
Program Stages
Stage 4- EV Infrastructure Procurement (2025- ongoing)
- Led a market-sounding (EOI) process on behalf of participating councils to gauge the interest of private charging operators (CPOs) to invest in, install, operate, and maintain chargers at identified sites on council land.
- Planning underway for joint procurement in 2026 to identify suitable partners to install, operate and maintain electric vehicle (EV) charging stations on council land at pre-approved locations.
Stage 3 — Future Planning for Expansion (2024)
- Explored lessons learned from previous phases of the program, and the evolving role of councils as facilitators of public charging.
- Developed a Regional Electric Vehicle Charging Framework for Central Victoria to meet current and future community charging needs, with a focus on equitable access.
- Delivered technical assessments and grid capacity analysis to identify sites suitable for public charging.
- Produced Municipal Implementation Plans for participating councils, identifying an investment-ready pipeline of sites for charging infrastructure, balancing commercial and technical viability with community needs.
Charging the Regions 2 locations
Stage 2b — Implementation Partnerships (2022–2024)
- Installed a dense network of 23 fast-charging stations from Whittlesea to Mildura, addressing significant gaps in regional charging networks.
- Facilitated joint procurement, delivery, and community engagement on behalf of participating councils.
- Evie Networks contracted for operation and maintenance of the installed chargers.
Stage 2a — Detailed Site Assessments & Business Cases (2021–2022)
Stage 1 — Regional Charging Network Blueprint (2019–2020)
- Conducted site‑level feasibility studies across participating councils, modelling, usage patterns, and future growth.
- Prepared business cases to support funding applications and procurement.
Stage 1 — Regional Charging Network Blueprint (2019–2020)
- CVGA-led project on behalf of 43 regional councils, 11 metropolitan councils, the Goulburn Murray Climate Alliance (formerly Goulburn Broken Greenhouse Alliance), Western Alliance for Greenhouse Action, Eastern Alliance for Greenhouse Action, and the Electric Vehicle Council of Australia, with funding support from the Victoria Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning (DELWP).
- Developed a coordinated plan for destination charging across regional Victoria, identifying priority towns and routes.
- Delivered technical assessments and grid capacity analysis.
- Established a shared investment and governance model.