Charging company EVs

If your business is moving to electric vehicles, it's important to think about where and how these vehicles will be charged. You may need a solution that covers a range of options including charging at home, at the office and on the road.

Charging electric vehicles at work

While EVs come with a cable that can plug into a standard 3-pin power outlet, it’s a legal requirement for businesses to install dedicated wall-mounted EV chargers in a workplace setting.

These chargers make charging safer and more reliable by reducing the risk of electrical faults or overloading your distribution board. They also give you more control over your power use and visibility of your energy consumption, helping you keep costs in check.

Find a smart EV charger | EECA approved list(external link)

Things to consider when installing EV chargers at your workplace

  • Power capacity — The electrical supply capacity available at your site might limit the number, speed of charging or the size of EV chargers you can install. This should be the first thing to check — your electrician can advise you on this.
  • Speed of charge — Think about how quickly you would need the vehicles to be charged. Could they park up for a few hours for a top up, or is faster charging needed? See below for a comparison of fast and slow chargers.  
  • Usage — Think about how use of workplace chargers will be managed — who can access and use the chargers, when, and for how long? Clear guidelines help ensure fair access, avoid conflicts, and make the most of limited charging infrastructure. You might consider options like booking systems, time limits, or prioritising staff who can't charge at home.
  • Supporting infrastructure — Consider signage, wheel stops, markings, access, security and lighting.
  • Costs — The upfront cost of a smart EV charger is normally between $1,500-$2,000 for the hardware. Installation costs can vary a lot depending on how many chargers you are installing, what capacity is available to or within the building, and where your chargers are in relation to your distribution board. Your electrician can advise on the best location near a power supply to keep installation costs down.
  • Ownership model — An alternative to buying the hardware outright is to partner with a specialist charging provider who can offer flexible options for electricity supply, charger ownership and ongoing maintenance. 

Slow vs fast EV chargers for the workplace

  • Slow chargers (AC)

    EV chargers that use AC (alternating current) offer a slower charge, and are suitable for charging cars that are parked for hours or overnight. Smart AC chargers can readily supply 3.6-7 kW, adding 20-40 km of range per hour.

  • Fast chargers (DC)

    DC (direct current) chargers offer a much faster rate of charge, because they can feed power directly to a car’s battery, with no need for a current conversion inside the vehicle. A 30 kW DC charger can add about 100 km range in 40 minutes. A 150kW DC charger could do this in as little as 8 minutes for newer EVs (charging speeds are limited on older models by battery constraints).

Home EV charging for company vehicles

Home charging can often be the most convenient and cost-effective solution for charging company vehicles. It enables employees to start each workday with enough charge to get through the day, eliminating the need for mid-day charging stops.

Worksafe guidelines state that dedicated charging stations must be installed for charging employer-owned vehicles at home. This is to ensure the safety of the charging set up and the integrity of the home’s wiring. 

Businesses looking to set staff up with home EV charging need to consider:

  • Ownership policy — Consider whether the charger remains with the employee or the company if they leave the business, and in the event they move house.
  • Installation costs — Will the business cover or subsidise the cost of purchase and installation? The business must ensure installation is handled by a licensed electrician.
  • Reimbursing charging costs — It may be easiest to offer a fixed payment or allowance based on estimated charging needs and average local electricity costs. Alternatively, smart chargers can track energy use allowing reimbursement per kWh.
  • Protecting the homeowner’s asset — This means ensuring that the electrician doing the installation provides the certificate of compliance to the property owner for insurance purposes.
  • Alternative charging options — For employees who rent or have short-term contracts, reimbursing public charging may be more practical than installing a home charger. 

Recommended smart EV chargers

EECA (the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority) has developed a list of approved smart EV chargers, to help you identify and purchase chargers that are energy efficient and future-proofed with ‘smart’ technology.

Among other benefits, smart chargers give you control over charging load and may save you the need for electricity supply upgrades. 

Using public chargers for work EVs

Public charging can be a flexible option for work EVs, providing a reliable backup when employees are traveling or don’t have access to home or workplace charging. While it may be a bit more expensive per kWh, it ensures that charging is always available when needed.

  • Convenience and cost — Public chargers may not be the most practical or cost-effective method for daily charging, so they’re best used as a supplementary option.
  • Managing payments and reimbursements — Decide whether employees will pay upfront and be reimbursed or if a company account will cover the costs directly.
  • Setting up an account — Many providers offer business accounts, making it easier to manage and track charging costs. However, aligning with a single provider may limit the number of public chargers you have access to across the country. 

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