What does it cost to charge an EV at home?
Wondering what it costs to charge your electric car at home in Adelaide? Estimate the cost per full charge, per week and per year, and see how it compares with petrol. Change the electricity rate to match your own plan, or drop it to an off-peak or solar rate to see how much cheaper home charging can get.
EV home charging cost calculator
See what it costs to charge your electric car at home in Adelaide.
about $27.00 per full charge · around $1,053 per year
About $975 a year less than petrolEstimate only. Home charging cost depends on your car, how you drive and your electricity plan. Rate prefilled at $0.45/kWh (a South Australian average, correct June 2026); charging off-peak or from your own solar can drop this to $0.08 to $0.20, so change the rate to match. Petrol comparison assumes a car using 8 L/100km at $1.95/L.
Get an EV charger installed at homeHow EV home charging cost is worked out
Home charging cost comes down to three things: how much energy your car uses (its efficiency in kWh per 100 km), how far you drive, and your electricity rate. Multiply your weekly distance by the car’s energy use to get the kWh you need, then multiply by your rate. Charging overnight on an off-peak plan, or from your own solar during the day, is where the biggest savings are, which is why a dedicated home charger usually pays for itself against public fast charging and petrol. For a proper home setup, a dedicated EV charger installed by a licensed Adelaide electrician is faster and safer than trickle charging from a power point.
Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to charge an EV at home in Adelaide?
As a rough guide, an average EV driving 250 km a week costs around $20 a week to charge at a typical South Australian rate of $0.45 per kWh, and far less on an off-peak plan or from your own solar. Use the calculator above with your own rate for a closer figure.
Is it cheaper to charge an EV at home or at a public charger?
Home charging is almost always cheaper, especially overnight on an off-peak plan or from your own solar during the day. Public fast chargers are convenient on longer trips but cost noticeably more per kWh.
How much can I save charging an EV instead of running a petrol car?
Most Adelaide drivers save roughly $900 to $1,500 a year on fuel by charging at home instead of buying petrol, depending on how far they drive and their electricity rate. The calculator shows the saving for your own situation.
Do I need a special charger to charge an EV at home?
You can trickle charge from a normal power point, but it is slow. A dedicated 7 kW wall charger charges several times faster and must be installed by a licensed electrician. See our EV charger installation page for how it works.
Can I charge my EV from solar?
Yes. If you have solar, charging during the day uses your own generation and can bring your charging cost close to zero. Pairing an EV charger with solar, and a home battery, gives you the most control over when and how cheaply you charge.
