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Cover of Implementing Electric Vehicle Charging in Remote and Rural Areas
Implementing Electric Vehicle Charging in Remote and Rural Areas
  • Publication no: AP-R771-26
  • ISBN: 978-1-923617-80-3
  • Published: 6 November 2026

This report provides an overview of planning, design and operational considerations for electric vehicle (EV) charging in remote and rural areas of Australia and New Zealand.

EV charging infrastructure in remote and rural areas provides essential coverage to enable the transition to a zero-emission fleet. The key findings from this research include:

  • The speed of the charger should match the typical duration of stay.
  • The lack of availability of the electricity network, network coverage, seasonal fluctuation in demand and a lack of local qualified technicians are challenges.
  • Opportunities to locate charging sites where a ‘site host’ already exists (for example, a caravan park, motel, service station) can lower upfront and operational costs.
  • Improvements in technology allow for the possibility of charging in areas without an adequate electricity grid, via a combination of on-site solar, battery storage, and a backup diesel generator for periods of overcast weather or heavy usage.

This report will provide a foundation to enhance the existing Austroads Guidelines on EV charging, by providing specific recommendations for the implementation of EV charging in remote and rural areas.

  • Summary
  • Glossary
  • 1. Introduction
    • 1.1 Purpose
    • 1.2 Scope
    • 1.3 Methodology
    • 1.4 Background
      • 1.4.1 Electric vehicle sales in Australia and New Zealand
    • 1.5 EV charging fundamentals for remote and rural planning
      • 1.5.1 EV charging consumer categories
      • 1.5.2 Charger types and speeds
      • 1.5.3 Plug types and cable considerations
      • 1.5.4 Key trends and emerging technology
  • 2. Stakeholder Consultation
  • 3. Literature Review
    • 3.1 Introduction
    • 3.2 Australian and New Zealand policies and guidelines
      • 3.2.1 Austroads Guidelines for Low and Zero Emission Vehicle Charging Infrastructure Installation, 2022
      • 3.2.2 Australian National Electric Vehicle Strategy, 2023
      • 3.2.3 Minimum operating standards for Australian government-supported public electric vehicle charging infrastructure, 2023
      • 3.2.4 Charging Our Future: National electric vehicle charging strategy for Aotearoa New Zealand 2023–2035
    • 3.3 International policies and guidelines
      • 3.3.1 Charging Forward: A toolkit for planning and funding rural electric mobility infrastructure – US Department of Transporta
      • 3.3.2 Taking charge: the electric vehicle infrastructure strategy – UK Government
      • 3.3.3 Norwegian National Charging Strategy
    • 3.4 Case studies
      • 3.4.1 Remote charging in New Zealand
      • 3.4.2 Off-grid charging in remote Australia
        NRMA, Erldunda, Northern Territory
        Horizon Power, Nanutarra Roadhouse, Western Australia
    • 3.5 Synthesis of literature review and case study findings
  • 4. Implementing EV Charging in Remote and Rural Areas
    • 4.1 Planning framework
      • 4.1.1 Determining the types of EV users
      • 4.1.2 Selecting appropriate charger speed and type
      • 4.1.3 Planning for redundancy
    • 4.2 Plug types and cable considerations
      • 4.2.1 Plug types
      • 4.2.2 Tethered and untethered cables
    • 4.3 Addressing limited or absent power supply
      • 4.3.1 Understanding the energy requirements for supporting off-grid charging stations
      • 4.3.2 Roadhouses
    • 4.4 Poor telecommunications coverage
    • 4.5 Issues with reliability
      • 4.5.1 Vandalism risk and mitigation
      • 4.5.2 Strategies for managing fluctuations in demand
      • 4.5.3 Booking systems
    • 4.6 Planning approvals
    • 4.7 Environmental challenges
      • 4.7.1 Sun and heat
      • 4.7.2 Snow and cold
      • 4.7.3 Flood
      • 4.7.4 Dust and insects
    • 4.8 Poor return on investment
      • 4.8.1 Public subsidies
      • 4.8.2 Charging fees
    • 4.9 Amenity
    • 4.10 Accessibility
      • 4.10.1 Larger and towing vehicles
      • 4.10.2 Austroads guidelines and Australian/New Zealand standard on car park design
      • 4.11 Additional considerations
        • 4.11.1 Payment technologies
        • 4.11.2 Charging etiquette and applications to enhance the user experience
        • 4.11.3 EV charging Applications
  • 5. Conclusions and Recommendations
    • 5.1 Conclusions
    • 5.2 Recommendations
  • References
  • Appendix A Review and recommendations for Austroads 2022 LZEV Guidelines
    • A.1 Issues and opportunities
    • A.2 Remote and rural EV charging context: recommended inclusions
      • A.2.1 Return on investment
      • A.2.2 Reliability
      • A.2.3 Site Planning
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