How much does it cost to charge an electric car at home?

Approximately $10-15 to fully charge a typical EV (60-80kWh battery) on standard household electricity at $0.30/kWh. Off-peak rates ($0.15-0.20/kWh) cut this roughly in half. A full charge gives 350-500km of range.

Can I charge an EV in an apartment?

It's difficult. Most apartments don't have dedicated EV charging in their car parks. Some newer buildings include it. You can request your body corporate install charging, but it requires approval and can cost $2,000-5,000 per spot. Without home charging, you'd rely on public chargers which cost 2-3x more.

How long does it take to charge an electric car?

At home (7kW wall charger): 6-10 hours for a full charge, perfect overnight. At a DC fast charger (50-350kW): 20-60 minutes for 10-80%. At a standard power point: 20-40 hours, only for emergencies.

How much does public charging cost?

DC fast charging typically costs $0.45-0.80 per kWh depending on the network and speed. Tesla Superchargers are $0.50-0.55/kWh. A full charge on a public fast charger costs $30-55, compared to $10-15 at home.

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Education 4 April 2026 10 min read

Electric Car Charging in Australia: The Complete Guide

Charging is the biggest question mark for EV buyers. Can I charge at home? What does it cost? Will I get stranded? Here's everything you need to know, no jargon.

The Three Levels of Charging

Level	Speed	Time (10-80%)	Cost per charge	Where
Standard power point	2.3kW	24-40 hrs	$10-15	Emergency only
Home wall charger	7-22kW	4-8 hrs	$10-15	Your garage
DC fast charger	50-350kW	18-60 min	$30-55	Shopping centres, highways

Home Charging: The Best Way

90% of EV charging happens at home. You plug in when you get home, it charges overnight, and you wake up to a full battery. It's like charging your phone but for your car.

What you need

Dedicated wall charger (7kW): $1,000-2,500 installed by a licensed electrician. This is the recommended setup. Charges a typical EV in 6-8 hours overnight.
Or just a power point: Every EV comes with a portable charger that plugs into a standard 10A power point. It works, but it's slow (2.3kW, 24+ hours for a full charge). Fine if you only drive 30-50km per day and charge every night.

Cost to charge at home

At standard electricity rates ($0.30/kWh), a full charge of a 60kWh battery costs about $18. That gives you 350-400km of range. At off-peak rates ($0.15-0.20/kWh), it's $9-12. Many EV owners set their car to charge between midnight and 6am to catch off-peak rates.

Compared to petrol: a car doing 8L/100km costs about $56 in fuel for the same 400km at $1.90/L. The EV costs $12-18. That's roughly 70% cheaper.

Public Charging Networks in Australia

Network	Stations	Speed	Cost/kWh	Plug Type
Tesla Supercharger	150+	Up to 250kW	$0.50-0.55	Tesla (some open to CCS)
Chargefox	350+	Up to 350kW	$0.45-0.60	CCS + CHAdeMO
JOLT	200+	Up to 50kW	Free (7kWh) then paid	CCS
AmpCharge	100+	Up to 350kW	$0.49-0.65	CCS
Evie Networks	80+	Up to 350kW	$0.55-0.80	CCS

Network sizes and pricing are approximate and change frequently. Check each network's app for current pricing in your area.

Charging Speed by Car

Car	Max DC Speed	10-80% Time	Architecture
Hyundai Ioniq 5	240kW	18 min	800V
Kia EV6	240kW	18 min	800V
Tesla Model 3	250kW	27 min	400V
Tesla Model Y	250kW	27 min	400V
BYD Atto 3	88kW	46 min	400V
MG4	140kW	35 min	400V

Can I Charge in an Apartment?

Honestly, this is the biggest barrier to EV ownership in Australia right now. If you don't have a garage or dedicated car park with power, home charging is difficult. Your options:

Request charger installation from your body corporate. Under some state strata laws, they can't unreasonably refuse. Cost: $2,000-5,000 per spot.
Use workplace charging if your employer has it. Charge during the day while you work.
Rely on public chargers. Costs 2-3x more than home charging and requires planning, but it's doable if there are chargers near your home or on your commute.
Wait. New apartment buildings in most states are now required to be "EV-ready" with charging infrastructure. The situation is improving rapidly.

If you can't charge at home and don't have workplace charging, a hybrid might be the better choice right now. Read our EV vs Hybrid comparison.

Road Trip Charging

The east coast (Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Gold Coast) is well covered with DC fast chargers every 100-200km along major highways. A typical road trip stop is 20-30 minutes for an 80% charge, which lines up with a coffee and toilet break.

Regional and outback Australia is a different story. Gaps of 300-500km between chargers still exist. Plan your route carefully and use apps like PlugShare or A Better Route Planner before heading off.

Use our Speed vs Range calculator to see how driving speed affects your EV's range on highway trips.

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Disclaimer: All information in this article was believed to be correct at the time of publishing (4 April 2026). Prices are manufacturer recommended retail prices (RRP) and may vary by state, dealer, and options. Specifications, government incentives, and rebates can change without notice. Always verify details with the manufacturer or relevant authority before making a purchase decision. Running cost estimates are based on average Australian driving conditions at 15,000 km/year. All opinions are editorial and independent. CarSorted does not accept payment for recommendations or rankings.

Published by CarSorted Editorial Team · 4 April 2026

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