Sydney-based electric vehicle (EV) charging company ReadySteadyPlug has secured $1.51 million in funding from the Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) to accelerate the rollout of its EV Charging as-a-Service (CaaS) offering in apartments and strata buildings.
The funding will allow the installation of more than 400 EV charging points in apartments and strata buildings across Australia, and infrastructure to support another 2,000 charging points in coming years.
ReadySteadyPlug specialises in managed Level 1 charging solution for strata residential buildings, offering a platform that combines Level 1 trickle charging with advanced features like individual metering, automated billing, and dynamic load management through standard power outlets.
And while Level 1 charging does not offer the rapid charging speeds normally spoken about, a single 10-hour overnight Level 1 charge is normally capable of delivering 200 kilometres of range – often more than enough for most Australians who average approximately 30 kilometres per day.
ReadySteadyPlug’s CaaS solution requires significantly reduced capital outlay from strata Owners Corporations and no switchboard upgrades, and metering ensures that those who do not have EVs are not paying the charging costs of others.
The ARENA funding, awarded under its Driving the Nation Program, will help ReadySteadyPlug accelerate the rollout of its CaaS offering, with an initial target of installing up to 428 EV charge points, along with the associated infrastructure to support up to 2,000 charge points in residential apartments and strata buildings across Australia by 2029.
It enables ReadySteadyPlug to bring overall funding for its national rollout to $3.49 million.
“We know that a lack of access to charging infrastructure at home can be a huge barrier to EV uptake for the millions of Australians that live in apartment buildings,” said Jukka Sintonen, CEO of ReadySteadyPlug.
“Our pay-as-you-go, low-cost charging technology and infrastructure changes that, providing an accessible and affordable EV charging solution designed specifically for apartment buildings.
“The benefit of ReadySteadyPlug’s approach is that it does not require a large, up-front investment from an Owners Corporation. Residents who don’t want an EV charging point don’t pay for EV charging infrastructure, or for the electricity they don’t use.
“EV owners can charge at home whenever it suits them, and the Owners Corporation gets reimbursed every quarter for the electricity used. It’s a model that works for the whole building, not just early adopters.”
ARENA CEO Darren Miller said that ReadySteadyPlug’s CaaS service addresses a crucial gap in Australia’s EV charging network.
“For millions of Australians living in apartments, the absence of simple, affordable charging at home remains a real barrier to electric vehicle adoption,” said Miller.
“ARENA’s funding will help to tackle this challenge by demonstrating solutions that lower the cost and complexity of EV charger installation. This will provide a replicable and scalable blueprint for other strata and apartment communities to follow.”
See The Driven’s detailed EV sales data here: Australian electric vehicle sales by month in 2026; by model and by brand.
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Joshua S. Hill is a Melbourne-based journalist who has been writing about climate change, clean technology, and electric vehicles for over 15 years. He has been reporting on electric vehicles and clean technologies for Renew Economy and The Driven since 2012. His preferred mode of transport is his feet.