Why More Clubs Should Consider EV Charging

As demand grows and governments look for practical community locations to expand the network, clubs are emerging as one of the more credible and scalable site types in the mix.

Club boards may want to start looking at EV charging now — not because every club should rush into an installation, but because the opportunity is becoming more relevant. As the charging task expands beyond highways and major retail sites, there is growing value in locations that are accessible, familiar and already part of everyday community life. That is where clubs come into the frame.

Many clubs already have the features charging providers look for: visible sites, established parking, regular visitation, amenities and dwell times that allow charging to fit naturally into an existing visit.

That matters because clubs are more than places to park; they are destinations in their own right. Members and guests come for dinner, bowls, meetings, golf, entertainment or a social catch-up, and often stay for an hour or more. In EV charging terms, that is valuable.

Charging works best where people have a reason to stop, something to do while they wait and a setting that feels safe and convenient. Clubs can offer food, bathrooms, seating and shelter — all of which can make charging more attractive than a site with little more than a parking bay. That can create flow-on benefits for clubs too: charging may help attract additional visitors, and encourage people to stay longer and enjoy the facilities while a vehicle is plugged in.

While AC charging may suit some venues, another strategic opportunity for many clubs is DC fast charging delivered through a third-party operator. Fast charging plays a different role in the network. It gives drivers a quicker top-up, supports longer trips and improves access for people who cannot readily charge at home. In suburban, regional and outer-metropolitan areas, a fast charger at a trusted local destination can add real practical value.

For clubs, that also means charging need not be seen only as an amenity purchase. In the right model, it can form part of a broader site and service offering. Depending on grant settings and the commercial arrangement reached with a charge-point operator, there may also be scope for an alternate revenue stream — for example, through a site lease, licence fee or a negotiated share of charging revenue. That will vary from site to site and is unlikely to be the only reason to proceed, but it may form part of the overall picture.

One success story is Holbrook Returned Servicemen's Club. Taking advantage of its strategic location just off the Hume Highway, the Club hosts nine Tesla Superchargers, with plans for six more. It is a good example of how well-placed clubs can use EV charging to drive extra visitation and create an alternate revenue stream alongside their core offering.

The challenge is that fast charging is rarely a simple do-it-yourself proposition. It is specialist infrastructure that can involve significant capital, grid connection work and confidence that the site will attract enough use over time. Even where a club is physically well suited, the commercial case may still be difficult to make on private investment alone.

That is why government co-funding remains important. NSW has already shown that a co-funded model can de-risk projects, attract private capital and help bring forward installations that might otherwise stall. For clubs, that is an encouraging signal: the pathway is practical, and the model has already shown it can work when the policy settings line up.

It’s also why awareness matters now. Clubs do not need to have every answer immediately, but there is value in understanding whether a site has the qualities, operators and future funding that programs are likely to look for. The clubs sector is not yet a major part of NSW’s EV charging network, but it is well placed to play a much bigger role — and clearer, ongoing funding pathways will often help determine whether viable opportunities proceed.

Further information on electric vehicles and the policy direction of the NSW Government is available on Transport for NSW’s website.