ACT public fast charging gets another A-minus

On 12 December 2025, AEVA's ACT branch conducted an audit of every public DC fast charger in the ACT.

These audits are completed by a small team of volunteers who simultaneously test EV chargers around Canberra. Each station is checked for physical condition, whether it is in service, charging speed and whether the charging apps give correct information.

Since the previous audit in April 2025 there has been a 37% increase in charger availability. There are now 140 plugs across 34 sites.

A new charging site at Mawson, Canberra. (Photo by Warwick Cathro)

The audit found six plugs that were out of service, including one that was damaged. One site had three of its four plugs out of service, but the density of charging stations in Canberra now gives EV users other options close by. “AEVA considers this to be a satisfactory result ahead of the holiday period”, said Dr Peter Campbell, AEVA spokesperson.

Charging speeds were tested on charging stations where no other vehicles were present. “This gives us confidence that ample electrical power is being provided to the charging station, although drivers may see slower charging rates when stations are close to fully occupied”, said Dr Campbell.

Other findings from the audit included a display screen on a charger that was difficult to read in daylight, several instances of poor directional signage to guide drivers, and a broken kerb restricting access to a charging bay. AEVA has reported these problems to the relevant operators.

AEVA conducts EV charger audits periodically on behalf of EV drivers to ensure that charging stations are being kept in good operational order. “While many local EV drivers only use public charging on trips away from Canberra, those without home charging rely on it heavily, as do visitors to Canberra”, said Dr Campbell.

The Branch gave the ACT's fast charging infrastructure an A-minus rating.