Toolkit launched to help councils drive EV adoption, and manage charging stations

Australia’s Electric Vehicle Council (EVC) has partnered with the City of Ryde in New South Wales to deliver a comprehensive guide to help local councils as they transition to electric vehicles (EVs) and support EV uptake in their communities.

The ‘Electric Vehicle Resource Pack for Local Governments’ is now available online and updates a previous edition which was published in 2020. It is designed to provide councils across Australia with the initial tools to support the transition to EVs, and shares case studies on how some local councils are already supporting EV adoption.

“While the federal, state, and territory governments have an important role to play in increasing the supply of EVs to Australia, and supporting households and businesses in making the switch to an EV, local governments are also crucial,” the authors of the Resource Pack write.

“Since this level of government is often closest to the public, local governments can make a significant contribution in leading by example in transitioning to EVs and increasing the visibility of these vehicles in the community.”

The EVC wants local councils and governments to focus on eight policy areas which include setting sustainability targets, incentivising EV adoption, future-proofing the built environment for EVs, enabling installation of EV charging infrastructure, transitioning council fleets to EVs, improving access for electric trucks, promoting micro-mobility sharing, and increasing EV awareness.

“All change starts local and there are many ways councils stand to benefit from supporting EVs—from boosting local tourism, to helping residents save up to $3,000 a year on fuel and maintenance, to cutting emissions for cleaner air and healthier communities,” said Cameron Rimington, senior policy officer at the Electric Vehicle Council.

“Many councils are already leading the charge in the EV transition including through emissions-based parking fees, driving fully electric garbage trucks, and partnering with private EV charging providers. At the same time, many local councils are eager to support their communities’ shift to electric vehicles but aren’t sure where to begin.

“With over 500 councils across Australia at different stages of their electrification journey, there’s no one-size-fits-all approach but our resource pack will help councils navigate the transition.

The City of Ryde says began its own electrification journey in 2017 and is now preparing for the next stage in its transition to EVs.

“Council’s EV journey started back in 2017 with just two vehicles and three public chargers,” Mayor Trenton Brown said in a statement.

“Since then, we have undertaken community surveys, adopted a Sustainable Transport Strategy and developed EV transition strategies in line with our Net Zero Emissions targets.

“We are now in the process of refreshing some of our transport strategies to prepare for the next stage of our EV transition with a clear focus on transitioning our own fleet and increasing public EV charging options for our community.

The Electric Vehicle Resource Pack for Local Governments is now available online and accessible to all.