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 $21.4 million Australian Government rebate stream (2026 to 2029) that reimburses automotive dealerships and EV repair businesses for the cost of purchasing and installing eligible smart EV chargers, and now EV-specific workshop equipment.
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. Since Round 3, the rebate also covers up to 80% of eligible EV-specific PPE, workshop equipment, tools and lifting equipment, within an overall cap of $50,000 per site across all rounds. Each claim needs at least $5,000 of eligible spend per site.
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 for chargers per site
- →$50,000 overall cap per site across all rounds, chargers and EV workshop equipment combined
- →All costs incurred before the stream ends in June 2029
- →Chargers eligible from 26 March 2024; EV workshop equipment from 12 May 2026
- →Up to $250 admin fee for application assistance is claimable (within the $50,000 site 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)
- ✓At least one staff member suitably qualified to work on EVs
- ✓Active ABN, incorporated in Australia
- ✓Account with an Australian financial institution
The guidelines ask a repair business to meet AS 5732:2022 when it applies. Dealerships and their service centres do not need it.
How it works
The Install Side, Handled Properly
Site assessment ($50)
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 Chargers
Wall-mounted or pedestal chargers, AC or DC, of any power level. There is no approved model list; we install 7kW single-phase and 11–22kW three-phase units. 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 chargers do not qualify.
Portable DC Chargers
Portable DC units are eligible. There is no minimum price per charger, but each claim needs at least $5,000 of eligible spending per site. 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?
Not if you are a licensed motor dealer or a service centre associated with one. An automotive repair business does need to: it must meet AS 5732:2022 (EV operations, maintenance and repair), be able to service and repair EVs safely, and have at least one current staff member suitably qualified to work on them.
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 a charger rebate in Round 1?
A charger rebate approved in Round 1 or Round 2 cannot be topped up under Round 3. You can still apply for charging units that have not been funded before, and for EV-specific equipment (PPE, workshop equipment, tools and lifting equipment).
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.
Open now
Round 3, What's New and When to Apply
Round 2 closed 30 April 2026. Round 3 opened on 8 September 2026 and closes on 30 April 2027, or earlier if the funding runs out. It adds EV-specific workshop equipment and an overall cap of $50,000 per site.
Chargers only
Round 1 paid up to $2,500 per charger, capped at $20,000 per site, for charger purchase and installation. Later rounds raised that to $3,000 per plug and $21,000 per site.
Open until 30 April 2027, chargers plus EV workshop equipment
Chargers stay at up to $3,000 per plug and $21,000 per site. The rebate now also covers up to 80% of eligible EV-specific PPE, workshop equipment, tools and lifting equipment, within $50,000 per site across all rounds, and each claim needs at least $5,000 of eligible spend. Applications are reviewed in the order received until the funding is used up.
No top-up for chargers already funded
If your site received a charger rebate in Round 1 or Round 2, that amount cannot be topped up. You can still apply under Round 3 for charging units and EV-specific equipment that were not funded before.
Accredited EV Charging Qualification
Our electricians hold the accredited qualification for EV charging infrastructure up to 22kW AC, covering both design and test/commissioning under the Victorian Electricity Safety Act 1998. It was reported as Australia's first fully accredited EV charging course (The Driven, October 2023).
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.
In Business Since 2006
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.
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. $50 including GST, no obligation. You'll know exactly what's needed before you apply.
Get Your Workshop Rebate-Ready
Book a site assessment ($50 including GST). We’ll check your switchboard, confirm your charger options, and have your installation documentation ready before you submit your Round 3 application.