SYDNEY, April 14 (Xinhua) -- The government of the eastern Australian state of New South Wales (NSW) on Tuesday announced plans to roll out more electric vehicle (EV) chargers to keep up with demand amid record-high sales.
Chris Minns, premier of NSW, committed 100 million Australian dollars (about 70.82 million U.S. dollars) in funding for the state's 2026 EV Strategy, 45 million Australian dollars of which will go towards new public EV chargers.
The state government said that the strategy will deliver 1,000 new EV chargers over the next five years and ensure that fast charging stations are no more than 100 km apart on major roads and highways across NSW.
The strategy was announced after Australian EV sales hit a record high in March as fuel prices soared due to the oil supply crisis in the Middle East.
According to the Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries, battery EVs accounted for 14.6 percent of all new vehicle sales in Australia in March, up from 7.5 percent in March 2025.
The NSW government said on Tuesday that EV sales make up 15.6 percent of new vehicle sales in the state.
"Families are feeling the pressure every time they fill up. We want to give more families the option of taking up EVs," Minns said in a statement. "This is about giving people a real alternative, one that's cheaper to run and with this rollout, easier to access."
The strategy also includes funding to provide grants for businesses that electrify their delivery and service fleets and to train 2,000 mechanics in regional NSW to service EVs and charging infrastructure. ■