Drivers of electrics cars are planning holidays based on charging locations

Abbey Sim bought her first EV, a Nissan Leaf, six weeks ago.

She relies on the knowledge of friends with EVs to plan travel and says accommodation spots fitted with chargers are "attractive".

Ms Sim charges her car for roughly one hour per 10 kilometres of driving time. This decreases if she uses smart chargers that are usually found only in commercial settings.

For drivers like her a road trip can include long stopover times and a chance to eat and explore regional towns.

"It is really helpful knowing there will be a charger.

"With petrol cars, you assume that wherever you're going will have a petrol station," she said.

"In terms of accommodation, the idea that whenever you get to wherever you're going, you'll be able to charge your car is a big drawcard."

Electric vehicle charging destination grants have been rolled out by state governments, including $20 million to help regional NSW destinations with information centres, cafes, restaurants and accommodation.

Kurt Kulgar of ESVE, an EV charging service, said many pubs and hotels with charging stations had noticed increased patronage. Longer stop times meant dining was more of an option for patrons.

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Publican Matt Irving is based in Moruya on the NSW south coast.

He installed two EV chargers at the back of his pub earlier this year with help from a government rebate scheme and told ABC trade has already improved.

"It's really added value to the business. We have people coming in saying they're using our service," he said. "[Drivers] want to come to the coast and they [don't] have many options."

Mr Kulgar has noticed an uptake of resorts, particularly in NSW south coast areas like Batemans Bay, with increased bookings after installing chargers.

Drivers use private apps and government websites to find places to charge and are often booking ahead.

Tourist companies including Tropical North Queensland are even using charging locations to market holiday packages.

But the roll-out of EV chargers across the country has not been without controversy.

Charging company EV Installations say small businesses may be paying a lot out of pocket expenses to install chargers. Some businesses may choose not to install any if they feel they could not make a good return, it said.

EV Installations say the average cost of a simple charger purchase and install - that is, a charger close to the power source and mounted on a wall with minimal concrete work - was about $3,300. But prices vary significantly.

The national grant scheme for EV chargers had provided $16.5million for capital cities and regional centres, but each location is only eligible for two chargers under the program.

Government grants in NSW only fund up to four EV chargers per site with installation funding capped at $1,000.

In the Northern Territory, a business can claim up to $2,500, when they install chargers.

"There are definitely more chargers going in across the country but I wouldn't say there are enough," an EV Installations spokesperson said.

"When there are chargers put in [at a location], generally there are only one or two going in."

For drivers, this can mean long wait times or alternative ways of charging.

Ms Sims recently switched her insurance policy to NRMA, who have portable chargers available. This was a key part of her decision when choosing insurance.

"If you absolutely run out of charge, that's something you need," she said.