EV Charging

What is involved in charging an electric car in Australia?

Charging an electric vehicle (EV) involves drawing power from the electrical grid—via standard socket outlets, dedicated AC chargers, or commercial DC fast chargers—and transferring it into the car’s battery.

Under Australian Standards (AS/NZS 3000 Wiring Rules and AS/NZS 60364.7.722 / IEC standards), EV charging is categorized into technical Modes (how power is controlled and supplied) and Plug Types (the physical connectors used).

Charging Levels & Standards in Australia

1. Level 1 / Mode 2: Portable “Granny Charger” (Standard 240V Outlet)

How It Works: Plugs directly into a standard household GPO (General Purpose Outlet). The cable incorporates an IC-CPD (In-Cable Control and Protection Device) box to manage safety and earth monitoring.

Power Output: Typically capped at 2.4 kW when plugged into a standard 10A wall socket. (Note: 15A high-draw versions supplying up to ~3.6 kW exist, but require a heavy-duty 15A wall socket and are not standard vehicle inclusions).

Charging Speed: Adds roughly 10–15 km of range per hour.

Vehicle Plug Types: Depending on the age/origin of the EV, the vehicle end of a granny charger cable will connect via either:

• Type 1 (J1772): A 5-pin AC plug found on older legacy Japanese imports (e.g., early Nissan Leafs).
• Type 2 (Mennekes): A 7-pin AC plug, which is the universal standard across modern EVs sold in Australia.

2. Level 2 / Mode 3: Dedicated AC Chargers (Home & Commercial Wallboxes)

How It Works: A fixed, permanently wired charging station (EVSE) connected to its own dedicated circuit back to the switchboard as mandated by AS/NZS 3000.

Power Output:

• Single-Phase: 7.2 kW (32A).
• Three-Phase: 11 kW to 22 kW (16A or 32A three-phase).

Charging Speed: Adds 40 km to 130 km of range per hour.

Applications:

• Home Wallboxes: Installed in garages for fast overnight charging.
• Public/Commercial Destination Charging: Found at shopping centers, hotels, and council carparks. Public AC chargers are frequently “untethered” (socket-only), requiring drivers to use their own Type 2 to Type 2 BYO cable.

3. Level 3 / Mode 4: Commercial DC Fast Chargers

• How It Works: Commercial-grade stations supplying Direct Current (DC) directly to the battery, bypassing the car’s internal AC converter.
• Power Output: 25 kW to 350+ kW DC.
• Charging Speed: Adds 150 km to 300+ km of range in 10 to 30 minutes.

Connector Types:

• CCS2 (Combined Charging System 2): The mandatory standard connector for all new DC fast charging in Australia.
• CHAdeMO: An older Japanese DC connector standard, being phased out on newer network deployments.

Key Operational Questions

How does public charging work in practice?

1. Connect: Plug the cable into your vehicle (and into the station socket if using an untethered AC station).
2. Authorize: Initiate session payment via a smartphone app (e.g., Chargefox, Evie, Tesla) or tap-to-pay terminal.
3. Charge: The station locks the cable latch for security and initiates power delivery.
4. Disconnect: Stop the session in the app, unlock the vehicle to release the plug latch, and stow your cable.

Why does fast charging slow down past 80%? To protect battery health and limit thermal strain, DC fast chargers automatically throttle power output once the battery reaches ~80% State of Charge (SoC). Top-ups from 80% to 100% can take as long as going from 10% to 80%.

What equipment should be carried in the boot? It is standard practice in Australia to carry the 2.4 kW portable “granny charger” (Mode 2) for emergency top-ups via standard 240V power points, along with a Type 2 to Type 2 AC lead for untethered public destination chargers. Public DC fast chargers always provide fixed, heavy-duty tethered cables.

Author: This information was provided by Mr. Neil Squires, a key member of the NCV Energy and Electrification Working Group. Neil is a keen EV-owner and has has a great deal of experience, built upon a career of over 40 years in electrical field work and cyber security.

References: The information was drawn from various reliable public sources, including – Transport for NSW  (NSW Government), Electric Vehicle Council, EVSE Australia and Power and Water Corporation.