How to charge an electric car at home

How do you charge an electric car at home? This simple guide explains what your options are for charging electric cars at home and how you can save money on EV charging costs.

Driving and charging an electric car is easy and cheap and EV owners have come to love the experience spreading their popularity. However, anything new can appear daunting, especially when you're used to filling up at a petrol station. Using an electric car is a very different experience. So let's explore the basics of charging one at home. 

How to charge an electric car at home

Home charging an electric car is not that different to charging your phone - in this case, you'll connect one end of the charging cable into the socket on your electric car, and the other into the electricity supply.

There are essentially two main ways of home charging your electric vehicle:

1. A conventional three-pin plug and socket

Electric vehicles should come with a cable and adapter so you can plug into your home's electricity supply via a conventional three-pin socket. However, this method is slow as it only adds around 14km of range per hour to the electric car.

It can also cause the plug socket to wear out faster. Not recommend long term.

2. A dedicated home charging point

A dedicated home car charge point (sometimes called a "wallbox") are faster and safer for long-term use. They are mounted to the external wall of your home and in the most convenient location for the charging cable to reach the vehicle.

Electric car chargers that focus on solar diversion are the best options. This way, excess rooftop solar is used to fill the car battery instead of paying for electricity. Depending if a home has single or three phase power, and the quality of the car’s inbuilt charger, it will determine the the length of the charge. SIngle phase connections will charge at 7kw per hour and most car manufactures have onboard chargers of 7kw. For three phase most chargers have the option of 11kwh or 22kwh, but for most cars, the 11kwh chargers are the limits, such as Tesla’s. We recommend future proofing and buying a 22kwh option as prospective EVs will have larger onboard chargers to take higher amounts of energy. You must also ensure the cabling between the charger and circuitboard can handle the future maximum of 22kwh for extended periods of time. If in doubt, ask your electricans to over spec the cables.  

All chargers must be installed by a qualified electrician. We have a recommended group of Solar CEC accredited installers who can assist. Solar accredited installers will have more experience in this type of installation as our chargers require either CT clamps or Smart metres plus a Wifi connection.

How much does it cost to install a home car charging point?

The cost of a home electric vehicle charge point installation varies, depending on the charge point you choose and also the complexity of the work involved. 

Prices for EV charging points cost from around $500 for a simple single phase back to back install up to many thousands for long three phase installations.  Your electrician will assess the job and provide a quote for the work before payment so an informed decision can be made.

BENEFITS OF A HOME CAR CHARGER INSTALLATION

1. Fast, cheap and reliable charging of your electric vehicle.
2. 100% solar powered cars are possible. With a good sized solar array, a solar diversion charger and parking during the middle of the day, many of our clients are powering upwards of 95% from he sun.
3. Charge schedules – you decide when the car chargers (perhaps when your electricity rate is cheapest, or when home charging tallies with low domestic use)
4. Safety measures – home chargers are built for the express purpose of charging electric cars, so they have built-in safety features
5. Correct installation – dedicated home chargers are installed by qualified electricians.
6. Weather-proof – chargers must withstand the harsh Australian weather, so they are robust units. We recommend installing out of direct sunlight as heat can effect the motherboards.
7. No more trips to the petrol station – save time by “fuelling” your electric car from the sun or overnight with a home charger.