Australia's Largest EV-Enabled Building Opens in Melbourne

A Melbourne apartment building has become Australia's largest EV-enabled building after being fitted with 252 electric vehicle charge points. The project was launched on 18 March 2026 by NOX Energy and Federal Minister for Climate Change and Energy Chris Bowen.

The building, Sierra Hawthorn, has 241 residential apartments and five commercial tenancies. Each apartment has its own dedicated charge point (10A/2.4kW), installed in the resident's allocated parking space. Commercial tenants share 10 additional Intelligent Power Sockets (IPS) units and a 22kW MSI charger.

Unlocking Access to EV Charging in Apartments

Access to home charging is one of the most common barriers to EV ownership in Australia. For people living in apartments or townhouses, installing a personal charger has historically been difficult or impossible without significant electrical upgrades.

The Sierra Hawthorn project addresses these key issues. NOX Energy's Intelligent Power Sockets use smart load management to distribute power across the building without requiring major infrastructure changes.

Payments are managed via the the Nox Energy billing system. Users are billed based on their usage despite common electricity used.

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How the Technology Works

NOX Energy's IPS units are smart power points that connect to a cloud-based management system. The system monitors and balances electricity load across all charge points in the building. This means every resident can charge their EV without overloading the building's electrical supply.

The installation at Sierra Hawthorn was carried out by Port Melbourne-based electrical contractor ModTech Group. Stainless-steel reverse-mounted ceiling bollards, developed by SSAF Australia, were used to safely position charging hardware above parking spaces. Commercial charging hardware was supplied by MSI and runs on the same NOX Energy load management and payment platform.

Cost and Savings

Home charging is generally the cheapest way to power an EV. Each charge point installed at Sierra Hawthorn is estimated to save residents around $2,000 per year in fuel costs compared to running a petrol vehicle. At that rate, the cost of the charge point hardware can be recovered well within a year.

The project is part of a broader initiative called 'Accelerating EV Adoption: Unlocking EVs for Strata Residents', which aims to deploy 2,000 EV charging devices across Australian strata buildings. Funding comes from the Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) through the Driving the Nation program.

Part of a National Push

ARENA CEO Darren Miller said apartment residents need the same access to home charging as people in freestanding houses for the energy transition to work for everyone. The Sierra Hawthorn project is one example of how low-cost smart charging solutions can be deployed at scale in strata buildings.

The federal government has been pushing to expand EV infrastructure through the Driving the Nation initiative. Minister Bowen noted that home charging is the cheapest and most convenient way to power an EV, and that expanding access to apartment residents is a key part of that effort.

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