Accessible Electric Vehicle Charging

Charging a Low and Zero Emission vehicle should be easy for all users, including people with disabilities and older people. This project developed guidance for Low and Zero Emission Vehicle charging infrastructure by comparing best practices and collaborating with people with disability and industry.

Project background

Austroads has developed guidelines to cover the installation of charging infrastructure for Low and Zero Emission Vehicles (LZEVs), including requirements, location, usability, and design.

The guidelines are designed to aid road managers, and to prompt consideration of issues relating to planning and design. The document draws on work and guidance from across Austroads’ member agencies, as well as international insights.

As this is a relatively fast-moving area of interest, Austroads will continue to monitor and research developments, with a view to updating these guidelines on a regular basis. The Electric Vehicle (EV) charging experience should be a positive one for all users, including people with disabilities and older people.

Austroads would like to understand what opportunities and challenges LZEV charging infrastructure represent for people with disability (PWD). Based on that understanding the current Austroads’ LZEV charging infrastructure guidelines can be updated or refined if required so that the guidelines also facilitate accessibility and inclusiveness.

Enabling Accessible Electric Vehicle Charging

Austroad Report

Charging a vehicle should be easy for everyone. This research report outlines how electric vehicle (EV) charging can be made more accessible for people with disability. It provides practical strategies and resources to help charging operators meet existing accessibility standards and legal obligations – while also encouraging innovation beyond compliance.

Adopting an end-user perspective, the report walks through 6 stages of the EV charging journey. It identifies common barriers faced by people with disability and offers targeted recommendations to remove or minimise these challenges.

The guidance draws on international best practices and accessibility research from the USA, Ireland, Germany, the UK and Canada, as well as primary and secondary research within Australia. It reflects input from people with disability, peak disability organisations, government stakeholders and industry partners.