Electric vehicle (specifically electric car) popularity in Australia continues to grow at a fast pace. Sales of new electric cars totalling 20655 units through 2021 up from 6900 during 2020, according to the AFR. In relation to the numbers gathered by The Guardian, just in the first six months of 2023, the sales of electric vehicles registered 46,624 new cars.
With Australia’s uptake of new technology, homeowners are starting to ask how they can upgrade their homes to support Electric vehicle charging and how much is costs to install and operate.
We have put together a list of general questions to help homeowners understand the requirements and costs of installing a personal Electric Vehicle charging station.
There is an upfront cost in moving to an Electric Vehicle for buyers.
However, with Installer Finance options and savings on fuel and maintenance, an Electric Vehicle can show substantial savings when compared to a conventional vehicle financially and environmentally.
Do electric vehicles need a commercial three-phase power supply?
Not all houses in Australia possess 3 Phase power, if your property does not you may be able to arrange for it to be installed.
This is by far the best way to quickly charge your Electric Vehicle (EV) if you drive each day you will want to replenish it as quickly as possible through fast charging.
The vast majority of single electric vehicle homes will not require three-phase power.
Newer EVs have larger battery packs and can make use of load sharing electric vehicle supply equipment (EVSE) car apps, and EVSE phone apps, which will enable hassle-free charging without the need to install three-phase power.
As an example of the evolution of the EVs themselves, a new Hyundai Kona electric on a single-phase 32A (7kW) will be fully charged and ready to go in approximately 9 hours. No question having three-phase power will assist to charge your EV faster.
Though unless you have an additional need for three-phase power in the home such as a very large air conditioning system the costs of upgrading outweigh the benefits for the EV owner.
How much do electric vehicle home charging stations cost to install?
The cost to install an electric car charging station varies depending on several factors:
- The size and type of home
- How old the building is
- If there’s an existing power supply
- where the charger will be installed
- Installation of Solar Panels and Electrical Storage Batteries.
Installation of the most basic of Mode 2 EV Chargers that are supplied with the car can be connected to a standard wall plug and used for charging, with no installation costs.
Although simple, the Mode 2 Charger is very slow and will not fully charge an EV Battery from Flat to Full overnight.
The best place for homeowners to connect their electric vehicles chargers are in the garage.
Adding and connecting solar and battery systems among other factors may increase the complexity and the cost of the installation.
Regardless of the type of installation that you choose it is imperative to have a quality installer complete the work for you.
Correctly installing the EVSE protects the home from fire and other risks that poor quality electrical work can cause, as well as protecting your new EV from damaging the converter, batteries and electrical circuitry of the vehicle.
Is a qualified installer required for an electric vehicle charging station (EVSE)?
Installation of an EVSE at home must be completed by a licensed and experienced electrician. To achieve the best installation, the technician should attend your home, inspect and understand the existing electrical system.
If there is the capacity to install the EVSE with the existing electrical power demand for the home, where the practical location for the EVSE to be placed and provide you pricing in writing as well as details on the workmanship and product warranties.
It is important to understand the installation Electricians experience with EVSE’s. Depending on the type of EV you are planning to buy, there are subtle configurations and set-up requirements that can vary.
An experienced Electrician will set up your EVSE so that your car charges efficiently as possible.
How much does charging an electric vehicle at home cost?
The price of charging an electric vehicle at home currently costs between $0.15 and $0.30 per kWh, which is about half the cost of a level three-public charging station which ranges from $0.30 and $0.60 per kWh.
Charging at home has a cost for small EVs between $7.00 and $15.00 and longer-range electric vehicles $11.00 and $25.00 for a full charge.
A fully charged small EV can travel up to 350 KM, about the average distance Australian drives each week.
EV’s offer great value on a per KM basis compared to conventional vehicles with weekly costs up to half that of a conventional motor vehicle.
The final statistic to consider when thinking about fitting your home to charge electric vehicles is the improved value to your property.
In 2021 76% of homes sold in Australia with an EVSE installed achieved a higher than expected sale price to comparable properties in their area without an EVSE fitted.
What Electric cars are available in Australia?
There are many Electric Vehicle manufacturers in the market nowadays and as most of us probably know, made popular by TESLA MOTORS they were founded in 2003.
Tesla began production of its first car, the Roadster sports car in 2009 followed by the Model S sedan in 2012 then the Model XSUV in 2015.
The Model 3 sedan began production in 2017 and the Model Y Crossover in 2020.
The Model 3 is the all-time best selling plug-in electric car worldwide and in June 2021 became the first Electric car to sell 1 million units globally!
Having sold 15000 units in Australia which accounts for over 62% of all Electric Vehicles sold. The next closest competitor was the MG ZS with almost 1400 units sold.
As Electric Vehicles become more popular here in Australia more and more car manufacturers are bringing out fully electric vehicles the list is almost endless. Just from January to June 2023, 8,4% of new car sales in Australia were electric; which is more than double registered in 2022 with only 3,8% of the new electric vehicles.
Tesla Audi Mercedes Hyundai Nissan Mazda BMW Toyota Volvo Honda
Peugeot Volkswagen Range Rover
Overall, the convenience of having an EVSE installed at home, coupled with faster charging times, lower costs, better protection of the EV battery and the general compatibility of an EVSE across models.
For anyone considering purchasing an EV now or in the future we believe that you should install an EVSE for your home and maximise the benefits of Electric Vehicles.
If you need a callout, inspection and quote for your Electric Vehicle Charging Station installation contact Service Today.
Our professional electricians service Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Adelaide.
