Quick answer
EV charging finance funds the purchase and installation of electric vehicle chargers, plus related electrical upgrades, for homes, workplaces, fleets and public charging sites. Smaller jobs may suit a personal or equipment loan, larger commercial rollouts a secured structure. Ownright Custom Finance arranges EV charging finance Australia-wide.
Key points
- Home wall chargers through to multi-bay commercial sites
- Electrical upgrades and switchboard work can often be included
- Business buyers can use asset finance structures
- Property owners and tenants are assessed differently
- Suits
- Households, landlords, businesses, fleets, strata and site owners
- Security
- Charging equipment, and sometimes the property
- Structures
- Personal loan, chattel mortgage, equipment loan, lease
- Australia-wide
- Yes
What is EV charging finance?
An electric vehicle is only as handy as the place you plug it in. EV charging finance pays for that infrastructure: the charger itself, the cabling and circuits, any switchboard or supply upgrade, the installation labour and, for larger sites, the commissioning and software that run it.
For a household the project can be modest. For a depot, a workplace car park or a public site it can be a serious capital item. The finance approach changes with that scale, but the basic idea is the same: spread the upfront cost across the period in which the equipment is used.
Who needs it?
- Households installing a wall charger at home
- Landlords adding chargers to attract tenants
- Businesses charging a pool of electric cars or utes
- Fleet and delivery operators with depot charging (see commercial vehicle and fleet finance)
- Cafes, retailers, motels and tourism operators offering customer charging
- Strata and apartment-building owners
- Site owners and operators of public charging points
What can be included?
| Item | Notes |
|---|---|
| Charger hardware | Single or multiple bays, AC or faster DC units |
| Electrical works | New circuits, switchboard upgrades, trenching and cabling |
| Supply upgrades | Sometimes included if invoiced together |
| Signage, bollards and bay marking | Common at commercial sites |
| Software and payment systems | Depends on lender policy |
| Solar and battery pairing | See business solar finance |
An itemised quote from a licensed electrician or accredited supplier is the single most useful document.
Which structure suits which project?
A single home charger often sits comfortably in a personal loan or as part of a broader project such as home electrification. A business installing several chargers may prefer a chattel mortgage or lease, which treats the chargers as equipment. A large public-facing site may involve property security, business assets or a combination. Our green equipment finance page covers the asset-finance side in more detail.
What do lenders look at?
The borrower. For individuals, income, expenses and credit history. For businesses, trading history, financial statements, BAS and existing debts.
The site. Who owns the premises, whether the lease allows installation and whether network capacity is sufficient.
The equipment. Established brands with local support are easier than obscure or discontinued ones.
The revenue model. For commercial sites that charge users, lenders may ask how the income will be generated, though they will also look at the borrower’s wider capacity to repay.
Are there incentives or grants?
Governments have funded EV charging in various forms: grants for workplace and public chargers, programs for regional networks and other measures. They apply to specific types of site, open for limited periods and carry detailed conditions. Because we do not want to point you to a program that has closed, we suggest the national energy website, business.gov.au and your state energy department as the places to check. If a grant is secured, finance can be arranged for the remaining balance.
How does Ownright arrange EV charging finance?
Trevor Scott’s team starts with the vehicles and the people using them. A family with one car and a garage needs a very different solution to a courier business with twenty vans or a motel on a highway. Once we understand the use, we match structure and lender. We also make sure the finance does not trip over timing, for example by confirming that a grant payment or a landlord consent will not arrive after the supplier needs paying.
Because we work Australia-wide, we handle everything from suburban garages to regional tourist stops. If a bank has turned the project down, we look for lenders that consider the asset and the business plan in a different way. To begin, send us the quote here.
An illustration
Illustrative scenario only. A small trades business buys three electric utes and wants a charger at the depot plus a wall unit at each owner’s home. The depot needs a switchboard upgrade. A broker could set up asset finance for the depot equipment and works, arrange a modest personal loan for the home units, and coordinate timing with the vehicle purchases so everything arrives together.
Mistakes to avoid
- Buying chargers before checking the switchboard and supply capacity
- Choosing an installer who is not licensed or accredited
- Ignoring landlord or strata approval
- Forgetting ongoing costs such as software, maintenance and electricity
- Assuming a grant will be available when the work is already booked
Documents to have ready
- Itemised quote from a licensed supplier or electrician
- Photo ID
- Income evidence, such as payslips, or tax returns and BAS for a business
- Details of the site, lease or strata approvals
- A summary of existing debts
Our get loan ready checklist covers the rest.
What about the car itself?
If you are still choosing the vehicle, see EV car loans. Fleets might also look at commercial vehicle and fleet finance. The green finance hub shows the full range.
How much capacity does the site have?
Before anyone buys a charger, it is worth finding out whether the site’s electrical supply can handle it. Several chargers running at once can overload an older switchboard or a modest connection, and upgrading the supply can cost more than the chargers themselves. An electrician or the local network operator can advise. Lenders do not assess the electrical design, but they will ask for a quote that includes any upgrade, and a surprise add-on halfway through the job can cause trouble.
Who pays for the electricity?
On a home installation, you do. At a workplace, the business may absorb the cost, pass it to employees or charge users. At a public or customer site, the pricing model determines revenue. Lenders look at the borrower’s wider ability to repay rather than relying on projected charging income, so the chargers should not be treated as a guaranteed revenue stream. Plan for slower uptake than you hope for and a repayment you can meet from the rest of the business.
What about future upgrades?
Charging technology moves quickly. A charger installed today might be superseded by faster or smarter units in a few years. When choosing a term, consider the likely useful life of the hardware and whether the installation allows modules to be swapped. Cabling and conduit often outlast the chargers, which makes them a sound part of a long-term plan. If you are weighing a lease versus a purchase, our finance lease page explains the idea of returning or upgrading equipment at the end.
Ready to plug in?
Sounds like you’re looking for EV charging finance. We’re the lending experts in charging equipment and the works around it, so click the button and see if you qualify.
How it works, step by step
- 1
Step 1
Send us the electrician's or supplier's quote and explain who will use the chargers.
- 2
Step 2
We choose a structure that suits the scale, the ownership of the site and the tax position.
- 3
Step 3
We approach lenders comfortable with charging equipment and electrical works.
- 4
Step 4
Documents are signed, the supplier is paid and the chargers are commissioned.
Frequently asked questions
Can I finance a home EV charger?
Yes. A wall charger and its installation, including any switchboard or circuit work, can often be funded with a personal loan or added to a wider project such as a renovation or solar installation. Lenders prefer an itemised quote from a licensed electrician. We help you decide whether to bundle or borrow separately.
Can a business finance workplace or fleet charging?
Yes. Businesses often use chattel mortgages, equipment loans or leases for charging infrastructure. Lenders consider the business's financials, the equipment and, where relevant, the property. Depots with multiple chargers may involve network upgrades and larger electrical works, which should be listed on the quote.
What about public or customer charging sites?
These are larger commercial projects, and lenders will examine the site, the operator, the equipment and the plan for revenue. They are assessed individually, and the structure may include property security. Tell us about the site, the operator model and any grant funding so we can approach the right lenders.
Can strata or landlords finance charging?
Sometimes. Body corporates, landlords and owners of apartment buildings face approval and cost-sharing questions as well as the finance. Lenders will look at who owns the equipment, who pays for electricity and how costs are recovered. Bring the strata or landlord approvals along with the quote.
Are there grants for EV charging?
Federal, state and local programs have supported charging infrastructure at various times, mostly for specific site types and with application windows. Details change, so check energy.gov.au and your state government. If a grant applies, we can arrange finance for the remaining cost.
Does an EV charging loan need property security?
Not always. Smaller projects are often unsecured or secured by the equipment alone. Larger or more complex projects may involve property security or other business assets. The right approach depends on the size, the borrower and the lender, and we discuss the options before you decide.