Victoria’s Andrews Government has announced an investment of close to $1 million to support upskilling hundreds of the state’s electricians to install EV chargers.
While electric cars are yet to be a very common sight on Victorian roads, the state is home to many of Australia’s EVs. By the middle of last year, there were more than 10,300 registered electric vehicles in Victoria. With the increase has been growing interest in dedicated home EV chargers, and public charging stations are popping up across the state.
The Victorian Government is shooting for 50% of new light vehicle sales to be zero emissions vehicles (ZEVs) by 2030. To help support this uptake, $950,000 will spent in a pilot program led by the Electrical Trades Union to equip 500 licensed electricians with the skills and knowledge needed to install EV chargers. The training, which will be free under the pilot, will be delivered by The Centre for U and Holmesglen TAFE.
“We know EV technology is becoming more popular and accessible – and it’s a vital component in our plan to reach net zero emissions by 2050 – which is why we’re investing in this great project,” said Victorian Minister for Energy, Environment and Climate Change (and Solar Homes) Lily D’Ambrosio.
This initiative will also support development of new course curriculum for accreditation by September, with view to beginning the training next year.
“We are committed to supporting the upskilling of the electrical workforce – and through this project, our industry can better meet the demands of the imminent electric vehicle boom,” said ETU Victorian Branch State Secretary Troy Gray.
Looking For EV Charger Information?
If you’re a Victorian EV owner, or potential owner, there’s growing choice of dedicated home charging solutions now available in Australia. You can compare specifications and estimated pricing for a bunch of devices on SolarQuotes’ EV charger comparison page; and also check out Finn’s comprehensive EV charging 101 guide.
If you’re looking for an EV charger installer in Victoria (or elsewhere in Australia), SolarQuotes can help there too – we can connect you to trusted professionals through the SQ quote service.
EV Incentives (And Disincentive) In Victoria
As well as the upskilling pilot program, there have been other positives (and a rather significant negative) in the Victorian Government’s approach to electric vehicles.
On the plus side, there’s a $3,000 subsidy available for eligible vehicles with a purchase price (dutiable value) under a threshold of $68,740. A $100 registration discount is also on offer.
Among other initiatives, the Victorian Government is also investing a total of $19 million to accelerate the roll-out of electric vehicle charging infrastructure across regional areas and to support the charging of EV fleets.
Unfortunately, there’s also an EV tax called the ZLEV Road-User Charge that came into effect in July last year. The charge is 2.5 cents/km for electric and other zero emission vehicles; while for plug-in hybrids it’s 2.0 cents/km. The charge is calculated based on odometer readings at the time of registration renewal.
The ZLEV Road-User Charge provides yet another compelling reason for electric car owners to install solar along with a dedicated charger at home; harnessing the many benefits of solar power to also maximise value from their EV investment. And there’s incentives there too, in the form of Victoria’s solar panel rebate in addition to the national solar rebate – both of which are actually up-front subsidies.
You can learn more about solar, battery and EV rebates and subsidies across Australia here.
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