At the Light Commercial Motor Show, the opening panel tackled one of the biggest challenges for Australian fleets: how to accelerate the shift to electric vehicles through smarter infrastructure, government incentives, and practical charging solutions. Hosted by Riz Akhtar, the discussion brought together Steven Beletich from EVX Australia, Yasemin Selvi from Alchemy Charge, and EV commentator Sam Evans. Their message was clear — charging needs to be visible, accessible, and supported by consistent policy if fleets are to electrify at scale.
Visibility Drives Adoption
For Steven Beletich, whose company installs AC chargers on power poles, visible charging points often make the difference between a driver sticking with a petrol car or choosing an EV.
“Every week, we get someone who says, ‘I was going to buy an EV but had nowhere to charge it. I saw one of your chargers and now I’m going to buy one.’”
EBX has 100 sites across New South Wales and more coming through the Curbside 2 program. Beletich credits NSW Government support for this growth, particularly by cutting through council approvals. “Curbside chargers are exempt development. We don’t need council DA approval. As of yesterday, local traffic committees have been abolished – that’s a massive removal of red tape for us.”
Apartments and Fleet Driver Homes
While depot charging is important, many fleet drivers take vehicles home. For those in apartments or homes without off-street parking, access to overnight charging is a barrier. Selvi’s company, Alchemy Charge, developed the “Smart Point” — a monetised power point with usage reporting — to make charging possible in shared or restricted spaces.
“A fleet driver can have a Smart Point in their garage, whether it’s a house or apartment. The organisation gets clarity on usage, and the driver gets reimbursed for power,” she explained.
Selvi also pushed back on the perception that fleets always need fast charging. “The average Aussie does 36 kilometres a day. You don’t need fast charging all the time – it’s about charging like you do your phone: plug in and walk away.”
Cutting Bureaucracy, Not Just Cutting Ribbons
Evans said Australia needs to take lessons from overseas. “In China, at least 100 million people with EVs live in apartments. The idea that you can’t own an EV without a driveway is a misconception.” He believes the most important role for government is removing barriers to installation. “Approving pole-mounted chargers is huge. Governments removing red tape is what we need.”
Fleet Adoption Lagging Behind Consumers
Akhtar noted that while consumer EV adoption surged with state-based purchase incentives, fleets have been slower to act.
“We need a national, government-led approach to encourage fleets to think about EVs – especially from brands they may not be familiar with.”
He pointed to the UK, where 70% of EV sales are to fleets, as an example Australia could follow. Education, model availability, and pricing were identified as the main barriers, alongside confidence in new brands.
Decentralised Charging – A Fleet Opportunity
A strong theme from the panel was moving away from a centralised depot model to a distributed network of charging points at homes, apartments, and on-street locations. Selvi called it “ABC – Always Be Charging” and said fleets should be thinking about topping up whenever vehicles are parked, not just returning to a single base.
Evans argued that fitting low-cost trickle chargers in every parking space is technically possible and would help soak up surplus daytime solar. Beletich agreed, but stressed the need for load management to avoid overloading building electrical systems.
Heavy Vehicle Lessons
The panel also addressed the future of electric trucks and buses. Evans pointed out that “last month in China, 25% of the entire trucking industry was fully electric.” Akhtar said high-powered charging for these vehicles will likely require large-scale batteries that trickle charge from the grid and discharge rapidly when needed.
Apartments Still Underserved
Selvi was clear that apartment residents — including many fleet drivers — are still missing out.
“Right to charge should be national. You shouldn’t be denied the ability to charge your vehicle if we’re serious about 2030 and 2035 targets.”
Beletich praised NSW’s leadership but acknowledged other states had not kept pace.
Price, Trust and New Brands
While more affordable EVs are entering the market, brand trust remains a concern for some fleet buyers. Akhtar said the education piece is vital: “Many of these brands sell millions of cars globally. We need national programs to build that trust.” Evans added that purchase decisions should be based on objective facts, not brand familiarity.
“If a manufacturer sells three million cars a year and has a strong balance sheet, that’s a big factor. It’s not about emotion, it’s about objective assessment.”
No Single Solution
The panel closed with a reminder that there is no one-size-fits-all approach to charging. “Curbside, basements, fast chargers, gully chargers – just do it all. No need to pick winners here,” Beletich said. For Selvi, changing the mindset is just as important:
“It’s about distribution, not just centralised hubs. Plug in wherever you are and keep moving.”