Preparing for your new EV

• To prepare your home for an EV:
  • Consult an electrician to ensure your household wiring can handle the additional load.
  • Choose a suitable location for charging.
  • Consider installing a dedicated EV charger for faster charging, or timing it with solar generation.
  • Check if there’s a better electricity tariff which offers off-peak rates for cheaper charging at times that will work for you.

• Always read the manufacturer’s instructions on charging, which can be found in the car owner’s manual.
• You can charge your EV using a standard power point, but it's slower. A dedicated EV wall charger offers faster charging and more convenience.
• Consider your daily driving needs and charging habits – most people won’t need more than 15 amps.
• Consult an electrician to ensure your charging is safe and appropriate for your requirements.

The table below shows the types of home charging options available, and the additional range you can expect to get from the different charging options:

* It's important to note that these figures are estimates and can vary depending on factors such as:

• EV model and its driving or charging efficiency
• battery size and state of charge
• ambient temperature
• the vehicle’s onboard charger power (which may limit the charging speed).

To estimate the cost and time it would take to charge your EV, use the Australian Government’s home charging calculator.

Many dedicated wall chargers offer simple plug-and-play functionality. Smart chargers go one step further by giving you the power to decide when you charge. This allows you to maximise EV charging at times when the demand for electricity is low, saving on your electricity costs if you are on a time-of-use tariff.

Consider the following before buying a smart home charger for your EV:

• Electrical capacity: Ensure your home's wiring can handle the additional load of an EV charger.
• Charging speed: Consider your daily driving needs to determine the appropriate charging speed and consider a faster, smart charger if:
  • you are likely to travel farther than 200 km to and from home on consecutive days in a week
  • you have multiple EVs that you’re charging from home
  • you want the flexibility to charge quickly from home if necessary.
• Installation location: Choose a suitable spot for the charger, considering proximity to your parking area and electrical supply.
• Smart features: Look for chargers with features like scheduling, remote control, and energy monitoring to optimize charging and potentially save on electricity costs.
• Compatibility: Ensure the charger is compatible with your EV model.
• Futureproofing: Consider a charger that can handle higher charging speeds if you plan to upgrade your EV in the future.
• Cost: Factor in both the purchase price of the charger and installation costs.
• Electricity plan: Check if an EV electricity tariff, with lower daytime and overnight pricing is right for you.

Smart chargers also help to futureproof your home as they can integrate with the state’s electricity network and assist in managing energy demand through a virtual power plant arrangement, with benefits for all energy users.

An approved list of software and EV chargers is available on the State Government’s Charge Up – Approved List of Software and Hardware. There are also several online tools that can be used to compare Level 2 smart chargers.

Before looking at what equipment you will need to charge your EV, let’s go through some of the basic charging terminology you will come across as a new EV driver:

• Amps: Unit of measurement for electrical current; for EVs, more amps mean quicker charging.
• Plug: Like a phone charger, the plug is found at the end of a charging cable and fits into the charging port on the car itself. In Australia, most EVs (except for Japanese models) can charge using Type 2 (for AC charging) and CCS2 (for DC charging).
• Connector: The term connector is interchangeable with plug (e.g. Type 2 connector and CCS2 connector).
• Port: The port looks like a fuel door on an ICE vehicle; this is where the connector or plug is connected to the car when charging.
• Socket: The term socket is interchangeable with port; socket could also refer to the standard wall socket found on a building used for trickle charging an EV.
• EVSE: EV supply equipment – the box between the plug and the wall.
• Adapter: A device that converts one type of electrical input into another, often changing the plug shape to allow EVs to be charged at various charging stations.
• Tethered: A charger is tethered if it has a charging cable permanently attached to it.
• Untethered: A charger is untethered if it only has a socket to insert a cable. You will need to use your own portable cable to charge your car if using an untethered charger. It is also important to consider the length of cable needed to charge the vehicle. Untethered chargers don’t include a charging cable so one can be purchased separately at the appropriate length.

You can determine which charging cables you’ll need once you have answered the preceding questions on how you are going to charge your EV. There are many different charging cables, which can each cost several hundred dollars. Often, EVs purchased new will be delivered with one cable to allow recharging from a normal household wall socket. Sometimes an EV will also come with a Type 2 cable to charge from a public charger. 

• Level 1 (10 amp) portable charging connector: A level 1 portable connector allows for charging from your home’s standard 10-amp wall socket. Not all EVs come with a level 1 portable connector, so if you are planning to charge your EV via a standard wall socket, then this connector is essential.
• 15-amp Socket: The 15-amp plug requires a 15-amp wall socket. This allows for charging at 3 kW instead of 2 kW if you require faster charging times. An electrician can confirm if you have a 15-amp wall socket available, or if one can be installed.
• Type 2 to Type 2 charging connector: Some level 2 public chargers are untethered (i.e. don’t include charging cables), providing only a Type 2 socket. This requires you to provide your own Type 2 to Type 2 charging cable if you are planning to charge from one of these public chargers. These can be purchased for around $200 for a 5-metre cable.
• Type 1 to Type 2 adapter: Level 1 chargers are less common but will require an adapter to charge modern EVs. The adapter will convert the Type 1 plug, which the charger provides, to a Type 2 charge port, suitable for all modern EVs. These adapters can cost between $100 and $150.

If you need a new power point or a dedicated home charger, you will need to engage a licensed electrician. Your vehicle manufacturer or car dealership may also be able to recommend charging solutions and electricians to assist with installing home chargers, or ask user groups such as the Australian EV Association for a list of installers.

When installing a home charger for your EV, ask your electrician the following questions to determine the right charger for you:

• Where is the best location to install a charger?
• How far from the electrical panel can the charger be installed?
• What is the warranty coverage on the charger and installation?
• What safety features does the charger have?
• Does the charger have power management and time scheduling features?
• Can the charger be integrated with my home’s solar panels or battery storage?
• What is the maximum charging rate the charger can support?
• Do I have a single-phase or three-phase power supply available?
• Does my switchboard have space for a breaker for EV charging, or does it need to be upgraded?
• If I plan to get a second EV in the future, what extra upgrades should I do now to save on costs later?
• What maintenance does the charger require?
• Will the charging cable be long enough to reach my car’s charge port?
• Do I want the charging cable to be tethered to the charger, or untethered so I can take it with me to use at public-charging stations?

If you don’t have access to a power point to charge from at home, allow enough time to get your charger installed before your vehicle arrives. 

• Both EV and petrol vehicles require some servicing so it is essential that you have access to someone who can provide this service in your region. For those living in regional WA, check with your vehicle manufacturer for service centres in your region or search for EV-trained service technicians.
• Australian consumer law ensures any licensed repair workshop can perform work on your EV without voiding the warranty. The workshop should still have qualified staff with EV-specific training.