EV inquiry adopts EWOV’s recommendations

The growing market for EVs represents a critical step in reducing emissions and supporting Victoria’s clean energy future. 

Together with bidirectional charging, which allows EVs to supply electricity back to the grid during periods of high demand, uptake of EVs offers significant potential for consumers to reduce their energy bills while also improving grid resilience and stability.

Our Ombudsman and CEO Catherine Wolthuizen was invited to participate in the Legislative Council Economy and Infrastructure Committee’s hearing on the ‘Inquiry into Electricity Supply for Electric Vehicles’, following on from our written submission on the topic. 

The inquiry sought to understand the barriers to EV uptake – with aim of providing feedback to the government on how it can better support consumers to take up this growing technology.

Drawing on the insights that we provided, the inquiry’s report recommends that the government extends consumer protections, so EV charging equipment and bidirectional charging are covered, and that it ensures that EV owners can seek our support.

Our insights on EV charging 

We presented insights and recommendations based on our casework relating to EVs, as well as drawing on similar insights from complaints relating to home batteries and Virtual Power Plants. 

Our submission highlighted the following: 

• EVs are becoming more integrated with traditional energy services. This integration will become more important and potentially riskier as bidirectional charging expands and new issues related to installation, performance and functionality emerge.
• Some households may require costly network upgrades to their mains supply to accommodate additional load of a fast charger, which can create further risk for consumers.
• Consumers may experience unexpectedly high bills due to incorrect tariffs being applied when charging EVs at home. 
• The complexity of installation and fragmented accountability for problems that occur due to the involvement of multiple parities, which can result in unresolved issues and consumer frustration.
• Participation in bidirectional charging arrangements is contingent on consumer trust. In the complaints EWOV receives, consumers are dissatisfied with contract terms and virtual power plant provider practices. 

EWOV encouraged the inquiry to consider extending baseline consumer protections to cover residential EV charging infrastructure and bidirectional charging services. This would help to de-risk consumer decisions and help reassure consumers to take up these innovative products and services. EWOV is well placed to provide that external dispute resolution to EV consumers.

This is an example of how our work supports effective policy and regulation of energy and water.

Report findings and recommendations that reflect EWOV’s input

• FINDING 36: Consumer protections and dispute resolution frameworks for EV-related services are currently fragmented and incomplete, risking reduced consumer confidence as EV uptake increases.
• RECOMMENDATION 6: That the Victorian Government expand and clarify consumer protection frameworks to cover EV charging infrastructure and related services.
• RECOMMENDATION 7: That the Victorian Government work with the EWOV to establish a complaints mechanism, including:
  • Enabling the Energy and Water Ombudsman to investigate EV charger installation
  • Distribution Network Service Providers (DNSPs) to inform new connection customers of the Ombudsman’s complaints mechanism

For more information

• EWOV's written submission to the inquiry
• Transcript of our Ombudsman’s presentation to the inquiry 
• The committee's final report on the inquiry