How Much Does It Cost to Charge an Electric Car in Australia?
Charging an electric car in Australia costs between $2.25 and $5.85 per 100 km at home, depending on your electricity tariff and state. That is the direct answer to how much does it cost to charge an electric car in Australia. At public DC fast chargers, expect to pay $6 to $11 per 100 km. On solar surplus, you can get it close to zero.
Those numbers shift quite a bit based on where you live, what time you charge, and whether you have solar. This guide walks through each scenario with real figures so you can work out your actual cost, not just a rough average.
What Charging Your EV at Home Actually Costs
Home charging is where most Australians spend most of their charging time. According to the EVC EV Ownership Survey 2024 (n=1,839 owners), 85% of EV owners charged at home in the prior week. That makes your home electricity rate the number that matters most.
A typical EV uses around 15 kWh per 100 km of driving. That is the figure used throughout this guide. Your actual consumption will vary with vehicle model, driving style, and speed, highway driving at 110 km/h uses more than city driving at 50 km/h.
Here is how the cost per 100 km stacks up across different home charging scenarios:
| Charging scenario | Rate (c/kWh) | Cost per 100 km | Full 73 kWh charge |
|---|---|---|---|
| Standard grid rate | 28–35 c | $4.20–$5.25 | $20.44–$25.55 |
| National average tariff | ~39 c | ~$5.85 | ~$28.47 |
| Off-peak / overnight tariff | 15–22 c | $2.25–$3.30 | $10.95–$16.06 |
| Dedicated EV tariff (AGL, Origin, Amber) | 10–15 c | $1.50–$2.25 | $7.30–$10.95 |
| Solar surplus charging | 0–5 c | $0–$0.75 | $0–$3.65 |
Rates as of March 2026. Full charge cost based on 73 kWh usable battery. Source: EVC EV Ownership Survey 2024; AEMC Residential Electricity Price Trends 2025.
A full charge of a 73 kWh battery at 30 c/kWh comes to roughly $21.90. Most people do not fully charge from flat every day, a typical commuter might add 30–50 kWh over a week.
State-by-State: Home Electricity Rates in 2026
Where you live has a real impact on your EV charging cost. South Australians pay significantly more per kilowatt-hour than Queenslanders or Victorians. Here are the current standard residential tariff ranges for 2025–26:
| State | Typical rate (c/kWh) | Cost per 100 km (std. rate) |
|---|---|---|
| SA | 34–43 c | $5.10–$6.45 |
| NSW | 31–43 c | $4.65–$6.45 |
| WA | 30–34 c | $4.50–$5.10 |
| QLD | 26–34 c | $3.90–$5.10 |
| VIC | 26–34 c | $3.90–$5.10 |
| National average | ~39 c | ~$5.85 |
Source: GlobalPetrolPrices, June 2025.
South Australian EV owners face the highest per-kilometre charging costs if they are on a standard tariff and have no solar. If you are in SA and paying 43 c/kWh, getting onto a controlled-load or off-peak tariff makes a meaningful difference.
Off-Peak Tariffs: Worth the Switch
Off-peak overnight rates of 15–22 c/kWh are available from most major retailers across Australia. Some go lower. AGL, Origin, and Amber Electric have all offered dedicated EV tariffs at 10–15 c/kWh for overnight charging in recent years.
Switching to an off-peak or EV tariff is often the single highest-return action you can take after buying the car. At 15 c/kWh overnight versus 39 c/kWh standard, a household driving 15,000 km per year saves around $370 annually on charging alone.
To find the best available rate in your state:
- Check Energy Made Easy (federal government comparator)
- Look specifically for tariffs with a “controlled load” or “EV” designation
- Ask your retailer directly, not all EV tariffs are prominently advertised
Most smart EV chargers and many modern EVs let you schedule charging to start after 11 pm or whenever your off-peak window begins. Set it once and forget it.
Solar Charging: The Real Cost
Around 80% of Australians who charge at home also have rooftop solar, according to the EVC EV Ownership Survey 2024. That number makes sense, if you have solar, directing your surplus export toward your EV rather than sending it to the grid at 5–10 c/kWh is a no-brainer.
Effective solar surplus charging costs 0–5 c/kWh. That accounts for the opportunity cost of feed-in tariff revenue you forgo. At a 6 c/kWh feed-in tariff, you are choosing to use that energy yourself rather than earn 6 c, so your “cost” is effectively 6 c/kWh, but you are still well below any grid rate.
For most EV owners with solar, the realistic charging cost lands somewhere between $0.75 and $2.00 per 100 km depending on how much solar surplus is available and how well the charging is matched to production.
Smart solar-aware chargers like the Zappi v2.1 or Ocular IQ Home Solar can automate this. They ramp up charging speed in real time based on available solar export, so your car soaks up surplus rather than grid power.
What Public Charging Costs in 2025–26
Public charging networks are improving rapidly across Australia, but they cost significantly more per kilowatt-hour than home charging. That is partly because operators need to cover infrastructure, maintenance, and connection fees.
Current public charging rates in Australia:
| Network | Charger type | Rate (c/kWh) | Cost per 100 km |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chargefox | DC 50 kW | ~40 c | ~$6.00 |
| Chargefox | Ultra-rapid 350 kW | 60 c | ~$9.00 |
| Evie Networks | 50 kW DC | ~58 c | ~$8.70 |
| Evie Networks | Ultra-rapid | 60–73 c | $9.00–$10.95 |
| Tesla Supercharger | Tesla vehicle | 40–50 c | $6.00–$7.50 |
| Tesla Supercharger | Non-Tesla, no membership | ~79 c | ~$11.85 |
| Tesla Supercharger | Non-Tesla, $9.99/month membership | 64–66 c | $9.60–$9.90 |
Source: Chargefox; The Driven; Zecar, 2025–26 pricing. Rates as of March 2026.
A few things stand out in that table. Non-Tesla owners using Superchargers without a membership pay nearly 80 c/kWh, almost twice what you would pay at home on a decent tariff. The $9.99/month membership cuts that significantly and pays for itself quickly if you use Superchargers even a handful of times per month.
Chargefox’s 50 kW network is the most affordable public DC option at around 40 c/kWh. For Chargefox network locations and pricing, their app also shows real-time charger availability.
Home vs Public Charging: What the Gap Costs You Over a Year
Say you drive 15,000 km per year. At 15 kWh/100 km, that is 2,250 kWh of charging annually.
| Charging method | Rate | Annual cost |
|---|---|---|
| Home, standard tariff (30 c) | 30 c/kWh | $675 |
| Home, off-peak (18 c) | 18 c/kWh | $405 |
| Home, solar surplus (3 c effective) | 3 c/kWh | $68 |
| Public, DC 50 kW (Chargefox) | 40 c/kWh | $900 |
| Public, ultra-rapid (60 c) | 60 c/kWh | $1,350 |
| Public, non-Tesla Supercharger | 79 c/kWh | $1,778 |
The difference between charging at home on off-peak and relying on ultra-rapid public chargers is over $900 per year. For a household that makes the effort to shift their charging to overnight off-peak, the annual saving compared to casual public charging is real money.
None of this means avoiding public chargers entirely, on long road trips they are the only practical option. The point is that daily commuting costs should almost always be home-charging costs.
How EV Running Costs Compare to Petrol
Here is the maths, kept simple. A typical petrol car uses 8 L/100 km. At $2.00 per litre, that is $16.00 per 100 km in fuel.
An EV on a standard 30 c/kWh home tariff pays $4.50 per 100 km. On a 15 c/kWh off-peak tariff, that drops to $2.25. On solar, it is close to zero.
At 30 c/kWh, an EV costs approximately 77% less per kilometre than a petrol car at $2.00 per litre. Over 15,000 km per year, that gap is roughly $1,725 in fuel savings on home charging alone.
Servicing costs add to the advantage. EVs have no oil changes, fewer brake replacements (regenerative braking reduces pad wear), and no exhaust or transmission servicing. The Electric Vehicle Council’s EV Ownership Survey 2024 found that EV owners consistently report lower maintenance costs than their previous petrol vehicles.
For a full picture of at-home charging setup, see our guide on how to charge an EV at home, including how to choose between a standard powerpoint and a dedicated wall charger.
How Much Does a Dedicated Wall Charger Add to Running Costs?
Installing a home wall charger costs $450–$1,200 for a straightforward install (including labour), plus $699–$2,200 for the charger unit itself. That is a one-time cost, not an ongoing one. Spread across five years of ownership, even a $2,500 total outlay adds about $500 per year, or roughly 3 c/kWh on a 15,000 km/year driving pattern.
The speed benefit is significant. A standard 10 A powerpoint delivers about 10 km of range per hour. A 7 kW wall charger delivers 40–50 km per hour. For most households, a wall charger pays for itself in convenience well before any cost calculation matters.
See our home EV charger guide for detailed model comparisons and current pricing on the best units available in Australia.
For more information on EV home charging standards and government incentives, the Australian Government’s EV resource page covers current policy and technical requirements.
Frequently Asked Questions
- How much does it cost to fully charge an electric car at home in Australia?
- A full charge on a 73 kWh battery (common on mid-size EVs like the Tesla Model 3 Long Range) costs around $21.90 at a 30 c/kWh standard tariff, or as little as $10.95 on a good off-peak rate. If you charge on solar surplus, a full charge can cost next to nothing. Daily top-ups for average commuters are typically $2–$5.
- Is it cheaper to charge an EV at home or at a public charger?
- Home charging is almost always cheaper. At a standard home rate of 28–35 c/kWh, you pay $4.20–$5.25 per 100 km. Public DC fast chargers typically cost 40–73 c/kWh, pushing that to $6–$11 per 100 km. Public charging is convenient for long trips, but relying on it daily is noticeably more expensive than charging at home overnight.
- What is the cheapest way to charge an electric car in Australia?
- Solar surplus charging is cheapest at effectively 0–5 c/kWh, translating to near-zero per 100 km. If you have rooftop solar and can charge during the day, or use a smart charger that targets solar export, the running costs are minimal. Off-peak overnight tariffs (15–22 c/kWh) from retailers like AGL, Origin, or Amber Electric are the next best option.
- How much does it cost to charge an EV per 100 km in Australia?
- At the national average grid rate of around 39 c/kWh, charging a typical EV costs roughly $5.85 per 100 km (assuming 15 kWh/100 km consumption). On a 15–22 c/kWh off-peak tariff, that drops to $2.25–$3.30. Compare that to a petrol car using 8 L/100 km at $2.00 per litre, you are paying $16 per 100 km for petrol.
- Do EV owners in Australia mostly charge at home?
- Yes. According to the EVC EV Ownership Survey 2024, 93% of Australian EV owners can charge at home, and 85% had done so in the week before the survey. Around 80% of those home-charging households also have rooftop solar. Public charging is used mainly for long-distance travel, not daily top-ups.