The Electric Vehicle Council (EVC) strongly supports the changes to the National Construction Code (NCC) 2025 Public Comment Draft regarding electric vehicle (EV) charging, with minor requests for adjustments. The EVC recommends clarifying that the presence of EVs and EV chargers is not sufficient to invoke 'special hazard' clauses, referencing the National Council for Fire and Emergency Services (AFAC) guidelines, which have a quasi-regulatory impact.
Key points include:
- Carpark fire safety improvements: The EVC acknowledges evidence-based adjustments to clauses E1D5, E1D9, S17C2, S5C19, and S5C22, recognizing modern carparks' increased vehicle size and fuel load. The EVC suggests alternative compliance pathways for EV charger capacity, allowing higher-capacity direct current (d.c.) chargers or combinations of alternating current (a.c.) and d.c. chargers.
- Adjustments to J9D4: The EVC proposes modifications to clause J9D4, including spatial allowances for future cable tray installation in carparks and varying charger requirements based on building class and carpark size. For example, Class 5 buildings with 100 carparks would need at least 10x7kW chargers, but could meet requirements with 2% of carparks equipped with 24kW d.c. chargers or 1% with 50kW d.c. fast chargers.
- EV readiness in Housing Provisions Standard: The EVC welcomes requirements for EV circuits in Class 1 buildings (13.7.10), ensuring future EV charger installation is quick and cost-effective. The EVC notes that using the 'Limitation' method for maximum demand avoids increasing consumer mains capacity.
The EVC also addresses the AFAC guidelines' impact on EV charger installations, citing examples like the FRNSW position statement, which recommends external or open-air EV parking and enhanced fire safety measures. The EVC encourages further development of the code and engagement with stakeholders.
