More EVs on South West WA roads means more people asking the same question: what does it actually cost to charge at home properly, rather than relying on a standard power point that isn’t built for it?
Why Not Just Use a Regular Power Point
You can technically charge most EVs from a standard household power point using the cable that comes with the car, but it’s slow – often adding only a small amount of range per hour – and it’s not really what household circuits are designed for over extended periods. Standard power points and their circuits aren’t built for the sustained, high current draw of EV charging over many hours, night after night. This is one of the more common causes of the EV charging fire incidents that occasionally make the news – not the car, but an underrated household circuit being asked to do a job it wasn’t designed for.
A proper home charger installation uses a dedicated circuit sized correctly for the load, which is both safer and considerably faster.
What’s Involved in a Proper Installation
Switchboard assessment. Before anything else, we check whether your existing switchboard has capacity for an additional high-draw circuit, or whether it needs upgrading first. This is a common finding in older homes that haven’t had their board reassessed since it was first installed.
Dedicated circuit. A home EV charger needs its own circuit run from the switchboard, sized for the charger’s specific current draw. This isn’t something that gets shared with other circuits in the house.
Charger selection. Chargers vary in charging speed (measured in kW) and features – some connect to home wifi for scheduling and monitoring, some are simpler plug-and-charge units. The right choice depends on your car, your driving habits, and whether you’re on a time-of-use electricity plan where charging overnight makes a real cost difference.
Location. Garage, carport, or driveway – the charger needs to be mounted somewhere the cable comfortably reaches your charging port without stretching across a walkway, and ideally somewhere sheltered from direct weather exposure.
What Affects the Cost
- Whether your switchboard already has capacity, or needs upgrading first
- Distance from the switchboard to where the charger will be mounted
- The charger unit itself (basic vs smart/wifi-connected models)
- Whether it’s a straightforward garage install or a longer cable run to a driveway or carport
Because switchboard condition varies so much house to house, we always assess before quoting rather than giving a number that assumes your board is already ready for it.
Is It Worth Doing If You’re Also Upgrading Your Switchboard Anyway
If you already need a switchboard upgrade for other reasons, it makes sense to plan the EV charger circuit into that same job rather than paying for two separate visits down the track. Worth mentioning upfront if this applies to you.
How Long Does Installation Take
A straightforward installation on a switchboard with existing capacity is usually a same-day job. If the switchboard needs upgrading first, that adds to the timeline, though it’s often still completed within a day or two total.
Getting a Quote
We install home EV chargers across Capel, Bunbury, Eaton, Busselton, Dalyellup, Australind, Donnybrook, Boyanup, Margaret River and Peppermint Grove Beach. Get in touch and we’ll assess your switchboard and give you a fixed quote for the full installation.