Home Charging 101: What You Need to Know

The short version

Most EV owners charge at home overnight — plugging in when they arrive, unplugging in the morning with a full battery. It's like charging a phone, at car scale.

You have two options: a standard power point (already in your garage) or a dedicated wall charger. Both work. The wall charger is faster and more convenient if you drive a lot.

Option 1: Standard 10A power point

Every EV comes with a cable that plugs into a normal 10A power point (the same socket your kettle uses). No installation needed.

Charging speed~2.4 kW — adds 10–15 km of range per hour

Overnight (8 hrs)~80–120 km added

Cost to set up$0 — use your existing socket

Good forDriving under 80 km/day

Caution: Use a dedicated circuit or a circuit with low other load. Don't use an extension lead for long-term EV charging — get a licensed electrician to check your circuit if you plan to charge regularly this way.

Option 2: Dedicated wall charger (EVSE)

A dedicated EV wall charger (sometimes called EVSE — Electric Vehicle Supply Equipment) connects to a 32A circuit and charges much faster than a power point.

Charging speed7 kW single-phase — adds ~40 km per hour

Overnight (8 hrs)~300+ km added (full charge for most EVs)

Hardware cost$400–$900 (unit only)

Installation cost$400–$1,200 (licensed electrician required)

Total installed~$800–$2,000

Good forAnyone driving 80+ km/day or wanting reliability

Do you actually need a wall charger?

It depends on how much you drive. Run the numbers:

Under 60 km/day → Power point is fine

An 8-hour overnight charge at 2.4 kW adds ~80–120 km. If you're not pushing that limit, a standard socket works well long-term.

60–150 km/day → Wall charger recommended

You'll drain more than a power point can restore overnight. A 7 kW charger fills the gap comfortably.

150+ km/day or multiple cars → Wall charger essential

Consider a 22 kW three-phase charger if your home has three-phase power and your car supports it.

Three-phase charging (22 kW)

Some homes have three-phase power (common in newer builds and rural properties). A three-phase wall charger can deliver up to 22 kW — filling most EVs in 3–4 hours. However, most EVs sold in Australia have a 7 kW onboard charger that limits AC charging regardless of what the wall charger delivers. Exceptions include some Renault, Mercedes, and commercial vehicles. Check the car's max AC kW spec before paying for a 22 kW installation.

What to look for in a wall charger

App-based scheduling— Charge overnight during off-peak tariff windows (if your plan has them)

Tethered vs untethered— Tethered (built-in cable) is convenient but can't be swapped. Untethered is more flexible.

IP rating— IP54+ for outdoor installs. Most Australian homes mount chargers in a carport or outside.

Solar integration— Some chargers (e.g. Zappi) can intelligently charge from excess solar generation first.

Australian safety compliance— Ensure the unit is RCM marked and installer is licensed.

Apartment charging

No garage? It's harder but manageable. Options:

Some strata complexes have EV charging in car parks — worth checking before buying
Body corporate approval may be required to install your own charger — this can take time
NSW, VIC, and QLD have recently updated strata laws to make EV charger approval easier
Public AC chargers (7 kW, typically cheap or free) can supplement charging if you live near one
DC fast chargers are not a practical daily charging solution due to cost and queue time

Cost to charge at home

At a typical Australian residential tariff of 25–35¢/kWh, filling a 60 kWh battery costs $15–$21. Compared to filling a petrol car with a 60L tank at $2.00/L ($120), home charging is roughly 6–8x cheaper per kilometre. Charging during off-peak hours (often 11pm–7am on time-of-use plans) can cut this further to 15–20¢/kWh.