Essential Tips for Choosing the Right Home EV Charger in Australia

Understanding Home EV Charging

When it comes to charging your EV, there’s no place like home. In fact, over 90% of EV charging happens at home. Choosing the right EV charger and ensuring it works well with your solar and home battery can be overwhelming. But it doesn’t have to be. This guide will help you navigate through the essential aspects of home EV charging. Do you prefer your new EV, or would you rather an old ICE car?

The Importance of Choosing the Right Charger

It might be tempting to grab the cheapest charger online and call your local electrician. However, this approach can lead to problems with your electricity tariff, solar, or home battery. This could make your EV charging more expensive than necessary. Stick with me, and I’ll show you how to choose the right EV charger and find an electrician who knows their stuff.

Key Concepts

Kilowatts and Charging Speed

When talking about EV charging, power is measured in kilowatts (kW). Kilowatts indicate how fast your EV battery charges. The higher the kilowatts, the faster your car charges. Charging at 1 kW will add about 5 km every hour. Charging at 10 kW will add about 50 km every hour. Chargers deliver these kilowatts using either alternating current (AC) or direct current (DC).

AC vs. DC Chargers

Home EV chargers use AC power. They take the AC power from the grid and push it straight into your car. Your car then converts the AC into DC power, which is what EV batteries use to charge. Public chargers use DC power, directly shooting DC electricity into the car battery. This means they can charge your EV up to 50 times faster than a typical home setup.

Check out the difference between the plugs on an AC home charger and a public DC fast charger. The AC charger sports a Type 2 plug, while the DC fast charger uses a monster CCS2 plug. Some people ask if it’s possible to have a DC fast charger at home. Technically, yes, but the costs involved can be astronomical. If you’re not a zillionaire, an AC home charger is the way to go.

Types of Home EV Chargers

Level 1 (Trickle Chargers)

Most cars come with trickle chargers for free. Tesla’s mobile connector costs $550, while third-party mobile connectors can be bought for about $350. Trickle chargers plug straight into a standard PowerPoint. They don’t need special installation unless you need a new PowerPoint near your parking spot.

Pros and Cons

Trickle chargers deliver about 10 km of range for every hour of charging. If you have a low-range car with a 300 km range, you’ll wait 30 hours for a full charge. If you’re relying on a trickle charger, you might need to keep it plugged in all day. Charging during evening peak hours (4 p.m. to 10 p.m.) can skyrocket your electricity bills.

Safety Tips

Be careful if you’re using an extension cord to charge your EV. Modern EVs put 10 amps through that extension cord for hours. An extension cord rated at 10 amps may not handle full current for hours and could overheat, leading to disastrous results. Invest in a dedicated PowerPoint close to your car for regular charging.

Level 2 (Hardwired Chargers)

A hardwired charger can charge at 7 kW on a single-phase home and up to 22 kW on a three-phase home. This is 3 to 10 times faster than a standard mobile connector. To achieve these speeds, you need a dedicated cable from the charger to the switchboard.

Requirements

To charge at more than 7 kW, you’ll need:

• A three-phase supply to your home
• A three-phase charger
• A car that can charge faster than 7 kW

For example, BYD cars can’t charge faster than 7 kW from a home charger. A Mini can charge at 10 kW from a three-phase charger. Recent Teslas can charge at 11 kW from a three-phase home charger. To make the most of three-phase home charging speeds, you’ll need a Porsche Taycan, which can charge at the full 22 kW at home.

Smart vs. Dumb Chargers

Dumb Chargers

Don’t let the name fool you; dumb chargers are a big step up from standard mobile connectors. Every time you plug in your EV, the charger simply charges it as fast as possible. It’s a straightforward, no-frills approach to charging.

Smart Chargers

A smart charger gives you control over when and how your car charges. It can adjust the charging speed based on factors such as time of day, cost of electricity, solar power generation, and battery charge. For example, if you have solar and it’s a sunny day, your smart charger can detect excess solar power and automatically start charging.

Installation and Costs

Hardware Costs

Most home EV chargers cost around $1,500 for the hardware. The Tesla Wall Connector is affordable and reliable. The Keba P30 X-Series is expensive at $3,300, but you don’t need to spend that much. Most home EV chargers with a solid set of features should cost about $1,500.

Installation Costs

Installation costs can vary widely. In a best-case scenario, installing a single-phase charger next to your switchboard might cost as low as $300. However, if you need to run a long power cable, dig trenches, upgrade your switchboard, or integrate with solar or a battery, costs can climb into the thousands. For most homes, expect to pay $1,000 to $1,500 for installation on top of the hardware cost.

Compatibility

Ensure your charger is compatible with your car. Most modern EVs use a Type 2 plug. To double-check, look at the charging socket on your car. It should look like this:

• Type 2 Plug: Standard for most EVs
• Bottom Two Pins: DC, for fast DC public charging

Features to Look For

Must-Have Features

1. OCPP Compatibility
   • Allows integration with third-party services.
2. Cable Length
   • Longer cables provide flexibility in parking.
3. Timers
   • Useful for optimizing charging during off-peak hours.
4. Security Features
   • Pin codes or RFID cards prevent unauthorized use.

Nice-to-Have Features

• Smart Charging Capabilities
  • Adjusts charging based on solar power, electricity costs, and battery charge.
• Solar Integration
  • Charges using excess solar power.
• Battery Integration
  • Ensures the home battery isn’t drained for EV charging.

Recommendations

Top EV Chargers

1. Fronius Wattpilot
   • Ideal for those with a Fronius inverter.
   • Costs around $1,800.
2. Tesla Wall Connector
   • Works with any modern EV, affordable, and reliable.
   • Costs around $550.
3. Delta AC Max Smart
   • Trusted brand with excellent quality.
   • Costs around $1,500.

Staying Within Your Ecosystem

Stick with the same brand as your solar inverter or battery. This ensures seamless integration and optimal performance. Fronius, GoodWe, SolarEdge, Growatt, and SunGrow all make EV chargers that work well with their own gear.

V2L, V2G, and V2H

• V2L (Vehicle-to-Load)
  • Powers appliances during emergencies.
• V2G (Vehicle-to-Grid)
  • Sells energy back to the grid.
• V2H (Vehicle-to-Home)
  • Uses your EV as a home battery system.

To utilize V2H and V2G, you need a special bi-directional EV charger. These chargers start at $10,000, and grid regulations in Australia are still catching up.

Best EVs for Home Integration

• Nissan Leaf Gen 2
  • Ready for V2H and V2G.
• Hyundai Ioniq 5 and Kia EV6
  • Support V2L, powering some home circuits with a smart electrician’s help.

Invest in a Level 2 Charger for your home. Consider a three-phase charger if you have a three-phase supply. Upgrade to at least 10 kW of solar panels. Use public fast DC chargers sparingly to save on costs.

If you’re ready to buy an EV charger, visit SolarQuotes for quotes and recommendations from vetted installers. Pop your postcode into the box, fill in the form, and we’ll take it from there.

Enjoy the convenience and savings of home EV charging with the right setup. Charge smart, save more, and keep your EV ready for the road.