Fund your workshop's EV charging bay with a federal rebate.
Up to $3,000 per charging plug, capped at $21,000 per site. We install to the standard the program requires — licensed electrician, dedicated connection point, compliant hardware.
Program overview
What Is the DRIVEN Charger Rebate Stream?
A $60 million Australian Government program that reimburses automotive dealerships and EV repair businesses for the cost of purchasing and installing eligible smart EV chargers.
The DRIVEN Charger Rebate Stream sits under the federal government's Driving the Nation Fund. It exists to accelerate EV charging infrastructure across Australia's automotive sector, starting with the businesses that sell and service vehicles.
Eligible automotive dealerships and EV repair workshops can claim up to $3,000 back per qualifying charging plug installed on their premises, capped at $21,000 per site. If your business operates a dealership rooftop and a service workshop on the same site, each operation qualifies separately, up to $42,000 in total across two applications.
The rebate is paid after installation. Your business lodges an application through the government portal at business.gov.au with installation documentation from your licensed electrician, and the rebate is paid back to your Australian bank account. No third party can receive the funds on your behalf.
Applications are assessed in the order they are received, and each round closes once its funding pool is exhausted. Being ready early, with a compliant installation and complete documentation, gives you the best chance of securing funding before each round runs dry. See our EV charger installation service for the full range of hardware we supply and install.
- →$3,000 per eligible charging plug
- →$21,000 maximum rebate per site
- →$42,000 possible if you run both a dealership and service centre on site, two separate applications
- →Program runs to April 2028
- →Installations eligible from 26 March 2024 onwards
- →Up to $200 admin fee for application assistance is claimable (within the $21,000 cap)
- →Lodged by your business via business.gov.au
Two-minute check
What Could Your Workshop Claim?
Set your plug count and check the eligibility basics, this is a planning estimate, not a funding decision.
Eligibility criteria
Which Businesses Can Apply for the DRIVEN Rebate?
Two types of automotive businesses qualify. The requirements differ slightly depending on whether you’re a licensed dealership or an EV repair workshop.
Licensed Motor Vehicle Dealers & Traders
- ✓Holds a current motor vehicle dealer or trader licence
- ✓Operates from a licensed commercial premises
- ✓Active ABN, incorporated in Australia
- ✓Account with an Australian financial institution
No EV staff qualification is required for dealerships; the main conditions are your dealer licence and a compliant installation by a licensed electrician.
Automotive EV Repair Businesses
- ✓Compliant with AS 5732:2022 (EV operations, maintenance and repair) or in the process of becoming so
- ✓At least one staff member suitably qualified to work on EVs
- ✓Active ABN, incorporated in Australia
- ✓Account with an Australian financial institution
If your team is still working toward AS 5732:2022 compliance, you can still apply, the program allows businesses in the process of becoming compliant to be eligible.
How it works
The Install Side, Handled Properly
Free site assessment
We check your switchboard capacity, site layout, and what a compliant connection point involves before you commit to anything.
Compliant installation
Our licensed electricians install the dedicated connection point and charger hardware to the standard the DRIVEN program requires.
You apply, we support
The rebate application goes through your business via the government portal, we provide the technical documentation and installation evidence you'll need to include.
Hardware requirements
Which EV Chargers Qualify Under the DRIVEN Program?
The program is specific about charger type, smart connectivity, minimum spend, and how the unit is installed. Here’s exactly what qualifies.
Fixed Smart AC Chargers
Wall-mounted or pedestal chargers at 7kW single-phase or 11–22kW three-phase. The unit must be "smart", meaning it has an active internet connection for remote monitoring and energy management. A dedicated connection point must be wired in by a licensed electrician. Non-networked AC chargers do not qualify.
Portable DC Chargers
Portable DC units up to 50kW are eligible provided the total hardware spend is at least $2,500 per unit. Spend between $2,500–$2,999 attracts a rebate equal to the amount spent only. Spend below $2,500 is not eligible at all. A licensed electrician must assess electrical safety before commissioning. Note: portable AC chargers are not eligible, DC only.
What Doesn't Qualify
Portable AC chargers, expressly excluded regardless of price or brand. Non-smart chargers without internet connectivity. Hardware purchased or installed before 26 March 2024. If you're unsure whether a charger model you're considering meets the smart-connectivity requirement, ask us before you purchase, we can confirm quickly.
The licensed electrician requirement, for both charger typesFixed smart chargers require a licensed electrician to install the dedicated connection point and commission the unit to the DRIVEN program standard. Portable DC chargers require a licensed electrician to assess site electrical safety before commissioning. Either way, a licensed electrician must be involved and must provide documentation, which is exactly what we supply for Melbourne South East workshops.
Before you apply
Common Questions
Do we need to already service EVs to qualify?
You need at least one staff member who is, or is becoming, qualified under AS 5732:2022 for EV maintenance and repair. If your team isn’t there yet, that’s a separate but parallel step worth starting alongside the charger install.
Who actually receives the rebate?
Only the dealership or repairer can receive it, not a third party. A charge point operator or installer can assist with preparing the application, and a small administrative fee for that assistance is itself claimable, but the rebate is paid to your business.
What if we already claimed less than $3,000 per plug in Round 1?
You may be eligible for a supplementary rebate to bring your total up to the current $3,000-per-plug maximum. This requires a new application under the current round.
Can the charger be for our own fleet, not public use?
Yes, chargers can be for private and/or public use. There’s no requirement to open it up to the public to qualify.
Next round
Round 3, What's New and When to Apply
Round 2 closed 30 April 2026. Round 3 is opening now, and it comes with expanded scope and increased per-site funding.
Up to $21,000 per site, charger hardware only
Previous rounds covered charger purchase and installation costs, plus up to $200 for application administration assistance. Both rounds exhausted their funding pools before the close date, applications submitted early were funded, late applicants missed out.
Opens after 1 July 2026, same structure, first-come first-served
Round 3 opens shortly after the start of the 2026/27 financial year. The rebate amounts and program structure remain the same, $3,000 per plug, $21,000 per site. Applications are reviewed in order received until the round's funding pool is exhausted. Both previous rounds closed before their end dates. Being ready to apply on day one matters.
Round 1 applicants can top up to $3,000 per plug
If your Round 1 rebate came in at less than $3,000 per plug, you may be eligible to apply for a supplementary payment to bring your total up to the current per-plug cap. This requires a new application under Round 3.
Next round
Round 3, What's New and When to Apply
Round 2 closed 30 April 2026. Round 3 is opening now, and it comes with expanded scope and increased per-site funding.
22609VIC Certified
We hold the 22609VIC Statement of Attainment, Australia's first accredited qualification for EV charging infrastructure, covering design (VU23286) and test/commissioning (VU23287) of EVCI up to 22kW AC under the Victorian Electricity Safety Act 1998. Very few Melbourne electricians carry this credential.
Licensed Electricians Only
Every DRIVEN-eligible installation is completed by our own licensed team. We don't use subcontractors. The program requires a licensed electrician to install and certify the work, and that documentation has to be traceable. We produce all the certificates and technical evidence your application needs.
15+ Years Contracting
We've been licensed electrical contractors in Melbourne South East since well before EVs went mainstream. Commercial three-phase installations, industrial switchgear, and workshop-grade wiring are core to what we do, EV charger infrastructure for automotive workshops is a natural extension.
Commercial & Three-Phase
DRIVEN charger installs at a workshop typically involve three-phase connections, switchboard assessment, and potentially a switchboard upgrade. Our commercial electrical team has active clients across Moorabbin, Heatherton, and Cheltenham industrial precincts, this is everyday work for us.
Rebate-Ready Documentation
Your DRIVEN application requires installation certificates, electrical safety documentation, and technical evidence from the installer. We prepare all of it. You submit through the official government portal under your own business, we support the process, we don't take it over.
Free Site Assessment
We visit your workshop, inspect switchboard capacity, assess the cable run to your intended connection point, and confirm what a compliant installation will involve, before you commit to anything. No charge, no obligation. You'll know exactly what's needed before Round 3 opens.
Get Your Workshop Rebate-Ready
Book a free site assessment. We’ll check your switchboard, confirm your charger options, and have your installation documentation ready before you submit your Round 3 application.