Nearly 2,000 Level 1 EV chargers to be installed across Australian strata communities

Sydney based e-mobility company Nox Energy is to install nearly 2,000 Level 1 electric vehicle (EV) chargers for strata communities across Australia in a project backed by the Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA).

Nox Energy, which was founded in 2023, bills itself as a provider of an end-to-end e-mobility charging ecosystem for property owners which integrates affordable charging infrastructure and an app-based payment system.

Targeting residential strata, public and commercial car parks, and fleets, Nox Energy has developed its Level 1 Intelligent Power Sockets (IPS), a smart socket that costs only $425 and costs between $250 to $750 to install.

And it is this IPS smart socket that has attracted the attention of the Australian Renewable Energy Agency, which has committed $1.51 million under its Driving the Nation Program to deliver one of the country’s largest Level 1 EV charging infrastructure rollouts.

Specifically, Nox Energy will install nearly 2,000 IPS smart sockets across 16 apartment buildings around Australia as part of a $4.78 million initiative to deliver home charging to apartment residents without costly building upgrades.

The IPS smart sockets will be rolled out to both new and existing apartment complexes and provide a comprehensive real-world test of Level 1 EV charging across a range of different strata environments.

Additionally, where rooftop solar is already in use, Nox Energy will test specific load-shifting behaviours designed to encourage residents to charge their EVs during periods of high solar export.

Nox Energy expects that some of the strata apartments will need full infrastructure retrofits, while others will need only minor electrical work.

“Our mission is to democratise access to EVs, and this rollout will transform apartment living for thousands of residents who want to drive electric,” said Charlie Richardson, chief operating officer at Nox Energy.

“Our model removes cost and complexity for strata communities, providing affordable and accessible EV charging for older complexes and new builds.”

Nox Energy also operates a management system and app for payment, with EV drivers paying their own electricity costs at the strata retail tariff plus a small service fee, while owners corporations receive full reimbursement and apartment owners without an EV do not subsidise charging for others.

“NOX Energy is an innovative, proudly Australian company that delivers turn-key solutions through our proprietary hardware and software,” said Wylie Chak, co-founder and director at Nox Energy.

“This grant is the validation of years of development, testing, and installation. With ARENA’s support, we can begin to break down one of the biggest barriers to EV ownership.

“We will deliver nearly 2,000 smart charging points across Australia, expanding reliable and affordable access to EV charging at home – an important first step toward serving the millions who live in apartments. For too long, apartment living has had limited access to charging.”