Electric vehicle charging company ReadySteadyPlug has powered up on $1.51 million in funding from the Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) to for the rollout of its EV chargers in apartments and strata buildings.
The Sydney startup, founded in 2024, hopes to install up to 428 EV charge points in a $3.49m project it describes as Charging-as-a-Service.
CEO Jukka Sintonen said their pay-as-you-go solution eliminates two barriers to EV charging in strata complexes – the upfront cost and electrical complexity. The platform enables charging via standard power outlets, using smartphone access control, cloud-based metering and automated billing for Level 1 charging for apartment residents. The system also has dynamic load management to keep the building’s electricity supply safe.
“The benefit of ReadySteadyPlug’s approach is that it does not require a large, up-front investment from an Owners Corporation. Residents who don’t want an EV charging point don’t pay for EV charging infrastructure, or for the electricity they don’t use,” Sinonen said.
“EV owners can charge at home whenever it suits them, and the Owners Corporation gets reimbursed every quarter for the electricity used. It’s a model that works for the whole building, not just early adopters.”
ARENA CEO Darren Miller said the project addresses a crucial gap in Australia’s EV charging network.
“For millions of Australians living in apartments, the absence of simple, affordable charging at home remains a real barrier to electric vehicle adoption,” he said.
“This will provide a replicable and scalable blueprint for other strata and apartment communities to follow.”
While the average Australian drives around 30km daily, a 10-hour overnight Level 1 charge can deliver 200km of range.
More than 4.2 million Australians live in strata complexes such as apartment buildings and townhouses.
