EV Explainer: The costs of installing electric vehicle charging points at home

Jul 21, 2023

In my recent article on EV charging choices, I explained the reasoning behind choosing between a Mode 2 (portable, plug-in) charger or a Mode 3 (fixed, wall mounted) one.

In this article I will look at the costs to install these forms of charging.

Please note: to keep this article focussed, it deals only with homes that have off-street parking and where, to provide charging power to your EV, you do not have to cross public land or common property. (I’ll address these in separate articles soon).

It is also important to recognise that the cost to install anything electrical can vary immensely depending on the electrical installation you re connecting it to, the type of home construction and the location of the item.

For instance, if you have a newer, stand-alone home (say less than 20 years old) the switchboard and power supply to the house should be sufficient to simply add another circuit and there should be enough supply available for most EV charging options. (Unless you live in Queensland).

At the other extreme, if you live in an older home with ceramic fuses, a small supply cable and ageing wiring, you will be up for major upgrades to you home wiring and switchboard before installing EV charging.

Also, as noted in my recent article on EV charger choice – I am sticking to Modes 2 and 3 charging options. Mode 4 (DC charging) is neither practical or necessary (and very rarely possible) in the home setting.

Mode 2 charging installation costs:

To install an outlet to do Mode 2 charging, the sorts of costs you would be looking at would vary from $500 – $600 to install a 10 or 15A single phase power point next to the switchboard to perhaps $900 for a three phase 32A one.

As always, as you add distance and complexity the charges will go up according to the number of hours and length of cable, conduit and other materials involved.

Remember, even for a power outlet used for EV charging, it must go directly back to the switchboard and be on its own circuit breaker.

I also recommend wiring the outlet with cable big enough to later on supply a 32A (7kW) Mode 3 charger – the cost of the cable is a minor part of the job and it means the majority of the work for a bigger charger is already done should you want to upgrade your charging method in the future.

Also, depending on how hard it would be to do later on – it may also be worth having some data cables thrown in at the same time.

This will allow for a future ‘smart’ Mode 3 charger to measure your electricity usage, PV output and communicate with the grid. Again, potentially easy to include at the time of wiring your EV charging point – but can be labour intensive to add later on. (Especially in a new build home).

By the way – these Mode 2 outlet costs do not include the portable charger itself. As noted in my article, even if just using a portable charger at home, you should still buy a separate one to use there and not rely on the one provided with the vehicle.

Mode 3 charging costs:

In theory, the wiring costs to install a 32A, Mode 3 charger are not much different to installing a simple power outlet for EV charging. You are still having a cable run back to the switchboard and the circuit breaker cost (and installation effort) is the same for a 16, 20 or 32A rated one.

The price difference is therefore based on the EVSE cost. Mode 3 chargers range in price from the simplest at around $800 to an all-singing-all-dancing one with touch screens, home power usage and PV output sensing and app access at $4000 or more!

Given some car manufacturers will occasionally do deals that throw in a Mode 3 charger for free, and all you have to do is pay to install it – you may only be up for much the same cost as installing a power point for Mode 2 charging.

On the other hand, if buying the charger, the more likely cost range is between $1300 for a simple install beside the switchboard (including basic charger) to $5000 plus depending on the complexity and cost of a high-end charger that may need data lines run to the switchboard and modem point and the installation of multiple sensors.

There is also the issue of the programming time needed to set-up some of the more complex Mode 3 chargers. Some of the installation quote may involve added time to download software and configure the charger.

Summing up:

As you hopefully are now aware, EV charger installation costs are very much a ‘how long is a piece of string’ question, but to get you started on your journey – here is a very rough guide to EV charging installation costs in simple installations and not requiring other costs to rectify older wiring or underlying supply issues:

Mode 2: (NOT including a portable EVSE)

Mode 3: (including EVSE)

Notes: (1). depending on EVSE choice

Bryce Gaton is an expert on electric vehicles and contributor for The Driven and Renew Economy. He has been working in the EV sector since 2008 and is currently working as EV electrical safety trainer/supervisor for the University of Melbourne. He also provides support for the EV Transition to business, government and the public through his EV Transition consultancy EVchoice.