MSI launches easter EV charger deal as petrol crisis drives Australians toward electric

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MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA – As global oil supply disruptions send Australian petrol prices to record highs and trigger fuel supply uncertainty at service stations across the country, consumers are turning to electric vehicles (EVs) in unprecedented numbers. Enquiries for EVs have surged in recent weeks, with Federal Energy Minister Chris Bowen noting at last week’s launch of Australia’s largest EV-enabled building, Sierra Hawthorn, that Australians wanting to buy an EV should expect to join a waitlist. Yet for many would-be EV owners, two barriers remain: range anxiety and the lack of accessible charging infrastructure.

“We are at a genuine turning point for EV adoption in Australia,” said Jerry Lu, General Manager of MSI Australia. “The current fuel crisis is a wake up call, and Australians are responding by looking seriously at EVs for the first time.”

In response, MSI EVSE has joined its strategic partner NOX Energy in electrifying the Sierra Hawthorn – Australia’s largest EV-enabled residential building, featuring 252 charge points across 241 apartments in Hawthorn.

“Our partnership with NOX Energy is about building the infrastructure foundation that makes apartment living and EV ownership fully compatible. The EZgo is the next piece of that puzzle – a portable, affordable charger that removes the last source of hesitation for anyone sitting on the fence about going electric. We want to make the switch as easy and accessible as possible.” says Lu.

The Sierra Hawthorn project, located at 196-202 Burwood Rd, Hawthorn in Victoria, launched on 17 March 2026 and backed by a $1.5 million ARENA Driving the Nation grant, forms part of a national initiative to deploy 2,000 EV charging devices across Australian strata buildings. The first 400 installations were completed seven months ahead of schedule, signalling the scale of latent demand for apartment charging solutions across the country.

Commercial charging hardware was supplied by MSI and integrated into NOX Energy’s centralised load management and payment platform. The deployment makes Sierra Hawthorn the second-largest EV-enabled apartment building in the world and the largest in Australia by a factor of five. MSI’s role as a strategic hardware and technology partner positions the company at the centre of Australia’s infrastructure upgrade wave, helping to solve the ‘last metre’ charging problem for the millions of Australians who live in apartments.

But fixed infrastructure is only half the equation. For drivers who venture beyond the city or travel on long weekend road trips, range anxiety remains a genuine concern. To address this, MSI EVSE is introducing the MSI EZgo Portable Charger + Home Kit: one of the only EV charger certified to both IEC 61851 and IEC 62752 standards across its wall mount and portable configurations, delivering complete flexibility wherever drivers go.

Built with premium automotive grade materials and engineered to meet rigorous international certification requirements, it is designed for long term reliability in Australian conditions. The charger is compatible with both 10A and 15A outlets, with a detachable cable design that allows cord only replacement when needed, reducing lifetime costs and keeping the unit travel ready. The MSI a Connect App pairs via Bluetooth to provide real time charging status, current adjustment and delayed charging scheduling – including a one button on device delay function that lets drivers take advantage of off peak electricity rates. Combined with the included Home Kit, the EZgo delivers the convenience of home charging and the freedom of portable power in a single, compact solution.

“The conversation about EV charging has shifted dramatically,” said Wylie Chak, Founder of NOX Energy. “Two years ago, we were spending months convincing strata committees. This year, our sales cycle has gone from six months to six weeks. The Sierra Hawthorn project proves at scale that the infrastructure challenge is solvable – and MSI’s hardware and strategic partnership has been central to delivering that. What we have built here with MSI is a blueprint, and we are already in discussions to roll it out across other corporations around the country. This is just the beginning of what MSI and NOX Energy will deliver together.”

“Making sure Australians can charge their electric vehicles where they live is essential to accelerating the transition to cleaner transport,” said Chris Bowen, Federal Minister for Climate Change and Energy. “Projects like this show how Australian innovation can deliver practical and affordable charging solutions for apartment residents.”

With Australia’s EV charging infrastructure expanding rapidly and fuel price volatility showing no signs of easing. MSI wishes to demonstrate that electric vehicles, paired with the right charging equipment, are ready for Australian road conditions.

Sierra Hawthorn is already being described as a national blueprint, with its combination of smart load management, per-resident charging access and commercial-grade hardware providing a model that can be replicated across thousands of apartment buildings nationwide.