What to know when installing an electric vehicle charger at home
Advice to help electric vehicle owners understand the installation process for home EV chargers are available and requirements for Australian homes.
Getting an EV charger installed at your home
Some people ask if they can install an EV charger for their home by themselves, hoping they might be able to save a bit of money on the installation cost. However, the installation can be quite complex, and this is why it is a legal requirement in Australia to have the installation done by a licensed electrician. This is to make sure it's done safely and in accordance with Australian regulations 1.
Why you need a professional installation
Here are a few reasons why you really want your home EV charger to be installed by a professional.
1 - Permits and codes
Electrical equipment in Australia is regulated. This helps to make sure that electrical equipment as well as our homes and workplaces are safe.
2 - Safety
Any work with electricity can be dangerous especially at high voltages. A licensed electrician can make sure that all connections are safe and secure.
3 - Professional equipment
Licensed electricians have the correct tools and professional background to make sure a charger gets installed correctly. The knowledge will make sure that the unit operates both safely and efficiently.
4 - Insurance coverage and warranties.
If you decide to go out alone and install a unit without professional assistance, it might void your warranty meaning in the unfortunate event of an incident, your insurance may not cover it. If your charger ended up being responsible for damage to your home, there is every chance it may not be covered by your home insurance.
For all of these reasons, it is best to talk to a licensed electrician about getting your charger installed and make sure the job is done properly.
How much does it cost for an EV charger installation?
Total cost of installing an EV charger at home is going to be made up of a number of factors. Each of these can vary in price and will affect the total install cost.
1 - The cost of the unit itself.
Depending on the brand and the features, you could see entry level units available from around $500, going up to faster charging top of the line models near $2000.
2 - Installation
As previously mentioned, it's a legal requirement to get a licensed professional to connect your EV charger. The cost for the labour and materials involved in the installation, you are likely to pay between $700 and $1300.
3 - Potential additional costs
If your home doesn't have a suitable power connection available, as in a spare regular 240V outlet, you will need to have another one installed which would be a further cost.
Getting a new power connection typically costs between $300 and $800. The determining factor in price depends on how far away it is from your main electrical panel and existing wiring and accessibility for the electrician.
While it can be a frustrating answer, the cost really does depend. If you are getting a full-featured premium unit, require a new outlet and need new cable to go through solid brick or stone you could be up for in excess of $4000.
However, a simple unit no new outlet necessary could potentially be installed for closer to $1200.
Will this EV charger work for my car?
This is a very good question. We've got a full article on the different EV charger types, but in a nutshell you don't want to get a superfast DC outlet if your vehicle can't take advantage of it.
Some vehicles have the ability to take advantage of the super-fast 3 phase outlet. If the car has a connector with this extra bit at the bottom, you can use the 3-phase charger. If your car doesn't, then it wouldn't make sense to install a 3-phase charger, as a cheaper single-phase charger is the fastest charge your car can process. The different EV chargers available is a topic in itself, so we have another page on the different types of home EV chargers in Australia.
***🔴 Hi Jericho please advise on the above so I can make it accurate. I know part of the picture now, but don't want to publish and add confusion with wrong info . 🔴****
Requirements and regulations for home EV chargers
1. You need a qualified professional.
The reason you need a qualified electrician to perform your installation is to make sure that Australian regulations and safety standards can be properly met.
2. You need a dedicated circuit.
This means you can't have a power board with double adapters mushrooming out of it. A dedicated circuit needs to be hardwired from the mains power to the charger. This is definitely work for a professional. The dedicated circuit means the mains power connection can provide sufficient power supply when charging your vehicle.
3. You need overcurrent protection.
This is another name for a circuit breaker. This helps to protect against electrical overload. It helps to prevent too much power moving through the charger and helps avoid things like overheating.
There are other protections and requirements regarding cabling and the height of devices, but in essentially, all of these things should be taken care of if you have a licensed electrician to perform the installation.
***🔴 Hi Jericho, again would welcome your advice and any corrections for this section🔴****
Do I need a dedicated home EV charger?
Having a dedicated EV charger will allow you to charge your vehicle much faster. Technically all you need is a power outlet and a cable, but this will be much slower and doesn't have circuit breaking safety measures in place.
If you look at the in-depth piece explaining the varieties of charger in Australia, you'll see the no charger method referred to as mode one, trickle charging. It can be done but it's very slow relative to the other methods. By having a dedicated installation, you may be able to charge your car for less. This is because most chargers are internet connected smart devices and will have some corresponding app on the phone or a web app.
You can typically access your charger's app to schedule the timing of when your vehicle gets charged. This means you can use power at the time of day when the rates are lower and avoid charging during peak times when electricity is more expensive.
What is included in a typical installation?
The section above discussing the installation said 'it depends', and really the same as true here. As a baseline, the physical installation of the charger and connection to mains power with safety checks to make sure everything is functioning correctly. These things will be a part of every home EV charger installation.
There are some things that would only done if required for the installation. These would be an extra cost and include things like a new power outlet, and additional power cabling depending on if it is needed to connect to the mains.
Some FAQs to remember when getting a quote for an install.
If you are reaching out to installers to get a quote for your home, these are some questions you might want to ask.
How much might charging at home cost?
Powershop has a handy calculator you can use to give you an approximate of how much it may cost to get your EV fully charged for the road.
Powershop also have plans designed to help EV drivers whether they charge their vehicles day or night.